Power of Three: The Sight
by Hissing Willows
Summary: AU: Hollypaw and Jaypaw are young WindClan apprentices, both with their own hopes and desires. Lionpaw of ThunderClan, grandson of the noble Firestar, knows he is destined for greatness. Each holds an unusual talent and skill, and dark secrets surround them all. If peace is to come, the Three must rise... but first, they must find each other and understand their strange connection.
1. Allegiances & Prologue

**So... I woke up yesterday morning to fifty emails about reviews for Power of Three. By the evening, it turned into two hundred, and right now, my inbox probably has 300+ emails from FFN. It turned out someone was posting the same review to harass me once every two to five minutes - I assume they were running a bot for this purpose. I am deleting my original version of The Sight and re-uploading it, as there is no way to block this and staff have been unresponsive. It's sad to get rid of all of the reviews from those of you who have enjoyed and reviewed the story, but there was simply no way to get rid of this person.**

* * *

Two cats padded side-by-side across the moorland, the moonlight lighting their way. One was heavy with kits, and she was panting heavily as she tried to keep up with the tom's pace.

The molly stopped for a moment to catch her breath. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this," she growled, through gritted teeth.

The tom paused. His tail flicked irritably. "Nightcloud," he growled. "Barkface has said our kits are dying inside you. Would you rather raise no kits instead of mine?"

" _These_ are your kits!" Nightcloud spat, with a furious lash of her tail. "I've let you manipulate me for so long. You just used me so you wouldn't be caught in your affair with… _her_."

The tom didn't try to defend himself. He flattened his ears. "Leafpool will be waiting," he said, sharply. "Do you want her kits to die because you gave up on them? Would you like the blame of their deaths on your conscience?"

"Shut up," Nightcloud hissed, clenching her eyes shut with pain. "Be quiet, Crowfeather. I've already agreed. I won't let more kits suffer because of your treachery."

"Our kits aren't suffering because of Leafpool," Crowfeather retorted. "They just weren't meant to live. Her kits will be yours. You will still get to raise kits." He looked back ahead with a flick of his ear. "Come on. We're wasting time."

Nightcloud forced herself to continue. Her stomach twisted with pain. Crowfeather was right—her unborn kits were dying or dead, and they had been making her ill. Her Clan would not find it odd that she had left camp to give birth. It was common with those who knew they would miscarry. _They'll be surprised when I return with_ her _kits. Perfectly healthy._ She hardly cared if someone accused her of bringing an outsider's kits. She had no need to defend Leafpool's honor.

They eventually reached the old badger's set near the ThunderClan border. Crowfeather had gone out scouting the territory for places for the queens to give birth, and he had settled on this spot. Apparently, the old set was spacious, with a tunnel that extended far beyond the den itself. _No one will know what happened except us._

Nightcloud could smell the other queen's scent the moment they arrived. She curled her lip at the ThunderClan scent. "She's already here."

"Hello?" A soft voice came from within the hole.

Nightcloud didn't reply as she followed the tunnel down into the set. Leafpool was laying on her side inside, breathing heavily. A ginger molly was seated beside her—Squirrelflight, by the looks of it. _Is she already kitting?_ No—Leafpool pushed herself to her paws as the pair entered the den. But the queen was skinny, save for her kit-heavy belly.

Crowfeather nodded to her. "Leafpool," he meowed. Nightcloud nearly hissed at how soft his voice was. He spoke to her like that, once, but no longer. "You look… is ThunderClan starving?"

Leafpool shook her head slowly. "No, it's just… it was the only way to try and hide it. I've been filling my den with lavender to mask my scent, but there's nothing to be done about my weight. My Clanmates were starting to look at me oddly."

Squirrelflight kneaded her paws anxiously. "I've tried to keep her as healthy as I can," she fretted.

Nightcloud scoffed and laid down. She curled up in a tight ball as another wave of pain went through her body. She knew she would lose her kits soon, and being in the same space as the healthy medicine cat made it all the more painful.

Crowfeather twitched his whiskers. "I'll try to find something to catch. If not, I'll bring you something in the morning. I'll just tell my Clanmates Nightcloud is still waiting for the kits to come until… well, until you're both done."

Squirrelflight flicked her tail. "I'll watch over them," she murmured.

He quickly turned away and left. It was quiet, painfully so, and Nightcloud refused to look at Leafpool.

"...I'm so sorry," Leafpool murmured, after a few quiet minutes had passed.

"What?" Nightcloud lifted her head.

"About your kits," she mewed. "Crowfeather told me. I wondered how you'd raise both our litters… I'm sorry that this is happening to you. I'm so grateful that you're going to raise mine, but… it should've been me."

"Don't say that," Squirrelflight quickly replied.

Nightcloud nearly told her that yes, it _should_ be Leafpool being ripped apart by the slow deaths of her own kits before they'd left the womb, but she didn't have it in her. She only laid her head on her paws and sighed. After a moment, she replied, "Thanks. I guess."

That night, Nightcloud kitted. It was all she could do not to cry out in pain and grief as one after the other, a dead kit was expelled from her. When the fourth and last had left her body, she let her head fall to the ground as she let out a quiet sob. The queen could not bear to turn to look at her dead kittens. Crowfeather wasn't even there to watch in silence, as she was sure he would have, and as Squirrelflight was hunting, her only company was the medicine cat she so desperately wanted to hate.

Leafpool moved closer to pull the dead kits away, but she paused, and Nightcloud let out a hiss. "Just get on with it," she said. "I can't bear to be close to them. Get _rid_ of them!" She clenched her eyes shut. "Get rid of them!"

"Wait," Leafpool breathed. "One is breathing. Nightcloud, look. You have a son." The tabby queen picked up the tiny newborn and gingerly brought him closer to Nightcloud's face. She sat between Nightcloud and the stillborns, blocking her view of the ones who had not lived. "Look at him."

Nightcloud opened her eyes. _She's lying. She just wants to hurt me._ But Leafpool was true to her word—the little scrap she'd laid in front of her was pawing aimlessly, already trying to find milk. "He's alive," she whispered. Tenderly, she reached out with a paw, pulled him close, and rasped her tongue over him. After a moment, she moved him closer to her belly, and he began to nurse. "I do have a son." She trembled, overwhelmed by both grief and joy. _One kit will be mine._

A day passed, and Leafpool gave birth. As though another cruel twist of fate for Nightcloud, Leafpool's kitting was quick, and Crowfeather had arrived with a young rabbit in time to sit by her side and whisper to her softly as she labored. Nightcloud had refused to let him touch her son, who she named Breezekit in his absence, furious that he hadn't deigned to care when _she_ kitted.

Squirrelflight had returned in time to see the last kit born. She and Crowfeather hovered over Leafpool, awed by the newborns. Nightcloud hated every moment of it.

"I want to name the molly Hollykit," Leafpool murmured. "This tom, though… he doesn't look like Crowfeather or Nightcloud at all."

"I'll take him," Squirrelflight replied immediately. "We already anticipated this. Brambleflower is ready to raise any kit I bring home."

"You name him, then," Leafpool said. There was a note of pain to her voice, which Nightcloud nearly scoffed at.

"Lionkit," Squirrelflight decided. "I've always loved the name."

There was a break of silence. Nightcloud heard Leafpool shift in her nest. "Nightcloud," Leafpool softly called. "Would you like to name the last tom?"

Nightcloud glanced towards them. Leafpool nosed a little dark gray kit. "This one," she whispered.

Nightcloud blinked. She was surprised by the offer. "Are… are you sure?"

Leafpool nodded. "Yes."

"Jaykit, then," Nightcloud murmured. "It would have been a name for one of mine."

Leafpool winced as she stood. "He is yours," she said, firmly. "So is Hollykit." She picked up Jaykit in her jaws and brought him to Nightcloud's side.

 _Already?_ the queen wondered, but she shifted silently to make room beside Breezekit. Hollykit was brought by Crowfeather, and in just a few moments all three of the kits were settled as though it were where they were meant to be.

"We should go," Squirrelflight told Leafpool. "We've been away too long as it is."

"Yes," Leafpool agreed. Her eyes were clouded with sadness. She smiled softly at Nightcloud. "I can't thank you enough," she said. "Please know I'm forever grateful for giving my kits a chance at a normal life."

"Just go," Nightcloud muttered. She was uncomfortable with the gratitude, and the two kits felt wrong at her side. _This won't work,_ she thought, grimly. _They're not mine. Breezekit is mine._

Crowfeather stood with them. "I'll walk you to the border," he offered. His tender voice made Nightcloud want to vomit. Without looking at Nightcloud, he added, "I'll be back for you after."

And just like that, they were gone, and Nightcloud was alone in the den with her kits. She looked down at them, studying them closely for the first time.

 _I suppose they… don't look all that unlike us,_ she thought, begrudgingly. _Hollykit… even sort of looks like me._ Nightcloud curled her tail around the kits. Jaykit paused in suckling to make a tiny, silent yawn.

A sudden, fierce feeling of protectiveness came over her. It was an unexpected feeling—she was sure she would hate the kits—but the longer she watched them nurse, the more anger faded away. Nightcloud leaned towards her belly to give Hollykit a good lick. _Maybe things will be alright,_ she thought. _Maybe…_

Nightcloud could see the first rays of morning through the opening of the den. She was gripped with resolve as she looked at her kits again. _I_ will _raise them as my own,_ she decided. _They will know me as their mother. They will be loved._

Nightcloud cared little for Leafpool. She nearly hated the queen. But these kits… they were _hers_ now, and she would raise them as she would Breezekit. A part of her actually pitied Leafpool. _They're going to be perfect warriors,_ Nightcloud promised. _My perfect warriors._

* * *

 ** _Allegiances_**

 **WindClan**

 **Leader** : Onestar—old brown tabby tom

 **Deputy** : Ashfoot—old gray molly (Tunneler)

 _ **Apprentice, Leafpaw**_

 **Medicine Cat:** Barkface—short-tailed brown tom

 _ **Apprentice, Kestrelpaw**_

 **Moor Runners** _(Warriors who hunt and patrol above ground)_ **:**

Tornear—wiry gray tabby tom

 _ **Apprentice, Harepaw**_

Runningbrook—light gray tabby molly

Dewspots—spotted gray tabby molly

Crowfeather—dark gray tom

 _ **Apprentice, Heatherpaw**_

Whitetail—small white molly

 **Tunnelers** _(Warriors who hunt and maintain tunnels underground)_ **:**

Webfoot—dark tabby tom

Tawnyfur—brown molly

 _ **Apprentice, Antpaw**_

Willowclaw—large gray molly

Weaselfur—ginger tom

 _ **Apprentice, Emberpaw**_

Owlwhisker—light brown tabby tom

 **Apprentices:**

Emberpaw—russet tom

Leafpaw—dark brown tabby tom

Antpaw—dark brown tom

Harepaw—brown-and-white tom

Kestrelpaw—mottled brown tom

Heatherpaw—pale brown tabby molly

 **Queens:** Nightcloud—black molly (Mother of Breezekit, Hollykit, and Jaykit.) (Tunneler)

Gorsetail—gray-and-white molly (Mother of Sedgekit, Swallowkit, and Thistlekit.) (Moor runner)

 **Elders:**

Morningflower—tortoiseshell molly

Darkfoot—very dark gray tom

 **ThunderClan**

 **Leader:** Firestar—bright ginger tom

 **Deputy:** Brambleflower—dark brown tabby tom

 _ **Apprentice, Berrypaw**_

 **Medicine Cat:** Leafpool—light brown tabby molly

 **Warriors:**

Dustpelt—dark brown tabby tom

 _ **Apprentice, Hazelpaw**_

Sandstorm—pale ginger molly

 _ **Apprentice, Honeypaw**_

Brackenfur—golden-brown tabby tom

Cloudtail—long-haired white tom

 _ **Apprentice, Cinderpaw**_

Thornclaw—golden-brown tabby tom

 _ **Apprentice, Poppypaw**_

Brightheart—white she-cat with ginger tabby patches

Ashfur—gray spotted tabby tom

Sorreltail—calico molly

Rainwhisker—dark gray tom

Spiderleg—dark brown tabby tom

 _ **Apprentice, Mousepaw**_

Brook—brown tabby molly

Stormfur—dark gray tom

Whitewing—white molly

Birchfall—light brown tabby tom

 **Apprentices:**

Berrypaw—cream tom

Hazelpaw—pale tortoiseshell molly

Mousepaw—gray tom

Cinderpaw—gray molly

Poppypaw—tortoiseshell molly

Honeypaw—golden brown molly

 **Queens:**

Ferncloud—pale gray spotted tabby (Mother of Foxkit and Icekit.)

Daisy—cream molly

Squirrelflight—dark ginger molly (Mother of Lionkit.)

 **Elders:**

Longtail—blind pale tabby tom

Mousefur—dusky brown molly

 **ShadowClan**

 **Leader:** Blackstar—massive white tom with black paws

 **Deputy:** Russetfur—dark ginger molly

 _ **Apprentice, Toadpaw**_

 **Medicine Cat:** Littlecloud—very small brown tabby tom

 **Warriors:**

Wetfoot—gray tabby tom

 _ **Apprentice, Redpaw**_

Oakfur—brown tabby tom

Snaketail—brown tabby tom

 _ **Apprentice, Crowpaw**_

Cedarheart—dark gray tom

Rowanclaw—ginger tabby tom

 _ **Apprentice, Ivypaw**_

Smokefoot—black tom

 _ **Apprentice, Owlpaw**_

Snowbird—white molly

Ratscar—battle-scarred brown tom

Kinkfur—dark gray molly with a thick, messy pelt

 **Apprentices:**

Toadpaw—brown tabby tom

Applepaw—mottled brown molly

Crowpaw—black-and-white tom

Ivypaw—gray-and-white tabby molly

Owlpaw—brown tabby tom

Redpaw—tortoiseshell tom

 **Queens:**

Whitewater—white molly, blind in one eye (Mother of Scorchkit, Olivekit, and Shrewkit.)

Tawnypelt—tortoiseshell molly

 **Elders:**

Tallpoppy—tortoiseshell molly

 **RiverClan**

 **Leader:** Leopardstar—spotted tabby golden molly

 **Deputy:** Mistyfoot—gray molly with blue eyes

 _ **Apprentice, Dapplepaw**_

 **Medicine Cat:** Mothwing—dappled golden molly

 _ **Apprentice, Willowpaw**_

 **Warriors:**

Voletooth—brown tabby tom

Mosspelt—tortoiseshell molly

Reedwhisker—black tom

 _ **Apprentice, Pikepaw**_

Beechfur—brown tom

Duskfur—brown molly

Otterheart—dark brown molly

Pinefur—light brown tabby molly

Rippletail—dark gray tabby tom

Rainstorm—blue-gray tom

Stonestream—gray tom

 _ **Apprentice, Mintpaw**_

Graymist—pale gray tabby molly

Duskpaw—dark brown molly

 **Apprentices:**

Willowpaw—sleek, long-furred dark gray tabby molly

Dapplepaw—mottled gray molly

Pikepaw—ginger-and-white tom

Mintpaw—light gray tabby tom

 **Queens:**

Dawnflower—pale gray molly (Mother of Pebblekit and Minnowkit.)

Icewing—white molly

 **Elders:**

Heavystep—stocky brown tom

* * *

 **Major story changes:**

 **-Crowfeather knew from the beginning that Leafpool was pregnant. Upon learning this, he told her that he would work things out for them both. He pursued Nightcloud, who had feelings for him, and once she revealed she was expecting his kits, told her the truth about Leafpool and manipulated her into taking in any kits that looked too much like him to remain in ThunderClan.**

 **-Brambleclaw is named Brambleflower, after his mother. It never made sense to me why Firestar would name Brambleclaw after his father, and it seems a lot more people have been adopting Brambleflower as a name for him. I love the idea, so I decided to implement it here too!**

 **-Squirrelflight keeps Lionkit, as he resembles her greatly. Brambleflower is aware that he is Leafpool's kit, but still agreed to raise him as his son.**

 **-WindClan never got rid of their tunneling practice. Thus, some warriors train to be regular warriors, called moor runners, and others train to navigate, hunt, and dig in the tunnels under their territory.**

 **-A LOT of canon family tree has been done away with, specifically for ThunderClan. Pretty much anything before living cats of the first series can be assumed to be unknown, and good number of canon families have been altered to break up the overwhelming amount of incest in the series. For example, Sandstorm's parents were Runningwind and Redtail (who is/was trans), rather than Brindleface, which gives her/her family less cats to be related to. If you have any questions about families, feel free to ask! I have the family tree for this story drawn up and I'm happy to share it.**

 **-There will be LGBT cats throughout the series. Surrogates are often used and are considered a normal part of Clan life.**

 **-Rainwhisker is still alive, because his death was pretty stupid.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Apologies in the slow progression in reposting this - the formatting of the first couple chapters is pretty messed up and is going to take some time to fix. Most chapters are still fine, but the first couple need some work. I'm also just on a much busier schedule now that I've moved to college, so updates are going to take some more time. I really appreciate your patience!**

* * *

Hollykit padded out of the nursery, pausing a moment to arch her back in a stretch. Her brothers were still asleep, so she headed out on her own to sit in camp. It was just past sunrise, and she had gotten up in time to see the dawn patrol getting ready to go out.

Runningbrook noticed her and paused in her conversation with Ashfoot, the WindClan deputy. "Early riser, eh, Hollykit?" she purred.

"Keep it down," another warrior muttered from their nest. "Tryin' to sleep."

The WindClan camp was dotted with nests and sleeping warriors. There were few proper dens in WindClan, save for the nursery and elder's den. Hollykit felt a little thrill of excitement at the thought of sleeping out here with her Clanmates in just a few days.

"Yes," she finally replied. "Everyone else is asleep."

A young apprentice, Antpaw, yawned loudly. "Well, get used to being up early," he mumbled. "Apprentices get no rest."

Runningbrook cuffed him over the ear playfully. "Oh, quiet, you."

Ashfoot nodded briefly to Hollykit before turning back to Runningbrook. "Ready?" she asked.

Runningbrook nodded. "See you, Hollykit." The three cats headed over the slope that bordered the camp and were lost to Hollykit's sight.

Hollykit sighed softly. _It's kind of peaceful being out here this early,_ she thought. _Once I'm an apprentice, I'll be up before everyone else!_ After a few moments, she stepped further away from the nursery, searching the sleeping cats for her father.

 _He's not here_ , she eventually realized. Hollykit shrugged to herself and padded towards the slope used to get in and out of camp. The rest of the hill's ledge was covered in overgrown swathes of heather, holly, and lavender, which both masked the scent of the cats and provided them with a natural sort of wall. The entrance was well-maintained by the warriors, and often required somebody to dig up new growths around it.

That was tunneler's work, though, and Hollykit was sure she would end up as a moor runner. It wasn't that she would be opposed to being a tunneler… but the tunnelers seemed so passionate about their work, and she wasn't all that interested in digging deep underground all day.

Hollykit pushed away the thought and settled down to wait. _He's got to be back soon,_ she thought.

* * *

The morning was in full swing by the time Crowfeather padded into camp. Everyone else was awake and moving about, either eating or splitting up into patrols, but Hollykit was patiently still seated by the camp entrance.

She jumped up as Crowfeather appeared at the top of the slope. A huge rabbit swung from his jaws, and it dragged on the ground as he walked. "Papa!" Hollykit meowed. "That's a _huge_ catch!"

Crowfeather's ears pricked as he spotted her. The lanky tom trotted down the slope and towards Hollykit. He set the rabbit down for a moment to catch his breath. "Thanks," he meowed. "It was a tough catch. Nearly got back into its burrow before Heatherpaw drove it into my paws."

As though she had been summoned, Heatherpaw came running down the slope after he mentioned her. The young brown molly was beaming. "Hey, Hollykit!" she purred. "Did you see our rabbit? It's a beast!"

Hollykit nodded eagerly. Heatherpaw was just over a moon older than she and her littermates, and she had missed the apprentice greatly since Heatherpaw had left the nursery. She glanced up at Crowfeather. "I hope I can be as great a hunter as you when I become a warrior," she said, earnestly.

Crowfeather smiled in the slightest. "You'll be a fantastic hunter," he promised. "A good fighter, too, I'll bet. You've got a bit of bulk to you under all that fur." Hollykit straightened up, beaming at her father's praise. She opened her mouth to say something else, but a sharp voice interrupted her.

"Hollykit!"

Hollykit winced. Nightcloud.

The dark queen was sitting in the mouth of the nursery. "Hollykit, come here," Nightcloud called. There was a touch of anger in her voice, but Hollykit knew she hadn't done anything wrong.

Crowfeather looked irritated, but he nodded. "Do as your mother says," he muttered, before he snatched up his rabbit again and dragged it away.

Hollykit sighed and padded back towards the nursery. "Yes, Mama?"

Nightcloud pulled her closer with a paw as soon as Hollykit was within reach. "You need a wash," Nightcloud grunted, before she rasped her tongue over Hollykit's forehead.

"Aw, come on!" Hollykit complained, and tried to struggle away. Nightcloud tightened her grip and continued to clean her face. "Yuck! I can clean myself now!"

Swallowkit, one of Gorsetail's kits, came running out from the nursery. After her came Sedgekit and Thistlekit. They were all yowling challenges and battle threats. Hollykit gave into Nightcloud's bathing as she watched them go. She noticed Crowfeather again, seated this time near the fresh-kill pile. He was glaring her way, but his stare seemed pointed straight for Nightcloud.

Hollykit could feel Nightcloud's pelt bristling. The young molly frowned as Crowfeather huffed loudly and turned away.

 _Why do they hate each other?_ She wondered. _They had us… but every time they're near each other they just get so angry._ Hollykit shifted uncomfortably. _Is it something we did?_

After Crowfeather was out of sight, Nightcloud released her. Hollykit shook herself. "Are Jaykit and Breezekit awake?" she asked.

Nightcloud shook her head, smiling softly. "No," she meowed. "They're much more lazy than you are today."

Hollykit tossed her head, feeling a bit annoyed. _How can they sleep?_ She wondered. _We'll be apprentices any day now!_ She turned away and surveyed camp once more. Morningflower and Darkfoot, the elders, seemed to have corralled Gorsetail's kits in a sunny part of camp and were talking to them in low voices. Hollykit pricked her ears. _I bet they're telling stories!_ She glanced at Nightcloud. "I'm going to go join them," she meowed.

Nightcloud nodded. "Alright," she agreed. "Have fun."

Hollykit flicked her tail and padded across camp towards them.

Darkfoot was in the middle of lecturing them, it seemed. "...is one of the most important parts of the warrior code," he was saying. He paused and glanced up as he saw Hollykit coming. "Ah, Hollykit!" he purred. "Morningflower and I are teaching these young'ns the code."

Sedgekit glanced at Hollykit. "Darkfoot was telling us about the part about not killing in battle," she meowed.

Hollykit joined them and sat down. "The warrior code is the most important thing in Clan life," she said, nodding sagely.

Morningflower purred. She looked pleased with this. "Hollykit here has known the entire warrior code since she was your age," she said.

"No way!" Thistlekit protested. "There's way too many parts!"

A deeper voice spoke from behind them. "All parts that you would do well to remember."

Hollykit nearly jumped out of her pelt. _Onestar!_ She turned around to face him. The tall tabby tom seemed to tower over her. He smiled encouragingly. "It's good that you care so deeply about the code," he said. "Many cats these days seem to be forgetting the laws of our ancestors."

Hollykit sat up as straight as she could and nodded slowly. "I don't think there's anything more important than the code," she meowed.

"Very good, Hollykit," Onestar approved. He twitched his fraying whiskers. "You'll make a fine warrior if you keep the code close to your heart." The WindClan leader glanced towards a small group of warriors. "I have other matters to attend to. Enjoy your last days of kithood." With a flick of his tail, the tom strode away.

Hollykit was nearly trembling. _Wow!_ She thought, kneading her paws with excitement. _Onestar actually likes me! Wait until I tell Breezekit and Jaykit about this. They're always teasing me about following the rules!_

Morningflower cleared her throat. "Now… who can tell me the next part of the code?"


	3. Chapter 2

" _Attack_!"

Lionkit was bowled over as Icekit and Foxkit launched themselves upon him. "Nooooo!" Lionkit wailed, feigning terror. "I'm just a hungry fox!" He rolled over and gently kicked Icekit off of him, who quickly pounced on his tail. "I just want to eat a few kits!"

"And I'm Icestar, leader of ThunderClan!" Icekit yowled. "No meanie foxes allowed in _my_ territory!"

Lionkit writhed around on the ground as the kits nipped and pounced on him. Icekit and Foxkit were only two moons old, while Lionkit was nearly six, and they were much smaller. Lionkit was used to the siblings play fighting with him, and he put up with it good-naturedly.

"Oh, kits," Ferncloud called, flicking her tail. "Don't beat up poor Lionkit too much, even if he is the size of a badger."

"He's a fox, mama!" Foxkit protested. "It's our duty as ThunderClan warriors to defeat him!"

Daisy, a permanent resident of the nursery, sighed softly and flicked her tail. "Oh, goodness," she said. "You lot won't be warriors for quite some time. Lionkit, however…" she purred softly. "You're nearly the size of one already!"

Lionkit shook the younger kits off of him, and the littermates tackled each other instead. Daisy was right—he was a giant compared to the other kits. He took after his father, Brambleflower, in that way. Ferncloud and Daisy often remarked that it was a lucky thing for Squirrelflight that he had been the only kit born in her litter.

"I can't wait to be an apprentice," Lionkit declared. "I'll be the best!"

Daisy chuckled and flicked him with her thick tail. "Oh, I'm sure you will," she said. "Still… I'll tell my kits to keep an eye out for you."

Lionkit scoffed loudly. _I don't need them to watch me!_ "That's mouse-brained!" he said. "I can look out for myself. I'm as big as Berrypaw already!"

There was a soft rustling from the opening of the nursery as Squirrelflight stepped inside the den. "Watching out for your Clanmates is an important part of being a warrior," she meowed. "It's how we protect each other."

"You're back!" Lionkit purred, leaping towards his mother. The ginger queen purred and affectionately butted his shoulder with her head.

Squirrelflight, after giving birth, had trouble producing milk. Ferncloud and Daisy both happily agreed to nurse Lionkit in her place, and Squirrelflight had returned to her warrior duties soon after Lionkit opened his eyes. She still slept in the nursery with him, and Ferncloud and Daisy doted on him while she was off on patrols. Sometimes, it felt like Lionkit had three mothers rather than one.

Ferncloud looked worried. "Was there traces of that fox again?" she asked.

Squirrelflight sighed and nodded. "We didn't see a hair of it, but caught some of its scent near the lake."

Daisy bristled. "So close to camp?" she asked. The queen's eyes were wide with worry.

For the past quarter moon, a fox had been wandering their territory, but patrols hadn't made contact with it yet. Lionkit unsheathed his claws at the thought. _I_ _'ll be an apprentice soon,_ he thought. _I'll be the one to catch the fox!_

"It hasn't come close to camp," Squirrelflight reassured her. "And it won't. Foxes are mean, but they're not stupid." She shifted her gaze back to Lionkit. "Things like foxes are exactly why it's so important to look after your Clanmates, Lionkit," she said. "If you wandered out alone, you could get seriously injured."

Lionkit thought on this for a moment. He glanced sidelong at Foxkit and Icekit. _They're so small and young,_ he thought. _Now if_ they _fought a fox, they'd get eaten right up…_ He glanced back up at his mother. "I guess I understand," he said. "But once I'm a warrior, I'll be the one looking out for everyone!"

Squirrelflight purred. "Well, that's good! I'm sure everyone will be glad to have a big strong warrior like you watching out for them."

Daisy nodded affectionately. "You're already a brave little warrior, Lionkit," she said.

Icekit gasped suddenly. "Look!" she exclaimed. She was standing in the opening of the nursery. "The apprentices are back!" She took off without waiting for permission, and a heartbeat later, Foxkit tore off after her.

Ferncloud sighed and shook her head. "Those two have more energy than any kits I've ever seen!" she said.

Daisy chuckled. "I think every queen says that about her litter."

Lionkit glanced at his mother hopefully. Squirrelflight rolled her eyes and smiled. "Oh, go on, you," she purred. "I know you want to see the apprentices too."

"Thanks!" Lionkit meowed, before jumping back up to his paws and running out of the nursery. He headed straight for the camp entrance, where the apprentices were clustered together.

Berrypaw had a large pigeon at his paws, and he seemed to be in the middle of one of his usual boasts. "So it flew up, like, a full fox-length over my head, but it couldn't escape me!" He crouched down and leaped up the air to demonstrate. "I jumped up like this, and smacked it right out of the air!"

Lionkit rolled his eyes as he slowed down to join Icekit and Foxkit, who were standing near the apprentices.

"Wow!" Icekit gasped. "You really jumped that high?"

Berrypaw tossed his head arrogantly. "Well," he meowed, matter-of-factly. "I jumped a bit higher than that when I caught it."

Lionkit repressed a sigh as his denmates _oohed_ and _ahhed_ at Berrypaw. He seemed to be the only one who wasn't impressed by the tom. It didn't help him that Brambleflower, Lionkit's father, was Berrypaw's mentor. _I can't believe he thinks we should get along!_ Brambleflower often mentioned that he would have to work with Berrypaw once they were apprentices, but Lionkit wasn't keen on the idea.

The other apprentices looked dusty. Honeypaw and Poppypaw's pelts were both ruffled. Lionpaw's tail twitched. They must have been doing battle practice, he thought.

Mousepaw shouldered Berrypaw. "Come on, let's go bring that to Mousefur and Longtail."

Lionkit watched as the two toms padded past him. _I'm already as big as Mousepaw!_ He thought. _Why am I still sitting around in the nursery?_

Honeypaw looked him over a moment, seeming to think the same. "Lionkit, you've got to be almost six moons old by now," she meowed.

Poppypaw nodded. "You'll be training with us soon! Maybe we should show you some fighting moves."

Lionkit lifted his chin and smirked. "Once I'm training, I'll be the best fighter of all!"

The sisters exchanged an amused glance. "Okay, tough guy," Honeypaw teased, with a twitch of her whiskers. "We'll see how you fare in a couple days when you really are an apprentice."

Poppypaw chuckled. "Battle training is rough! Cinderpaw and Hazelpaw are still at it back there." She winced and stretched out a foreleg. "I'm still stinging from that blow Cinderpaw gave me."

Lionkit shrugged. "I bet it's not _that_ hard," he meowed. "I'll be bigger than all of you in just a couple moons!"

Honeypaw rolled her eyes. "Alright, Lionkit." She padded off with a flick of her tail.

Poppypaw hung back a moment longer to flash Lionkit with an encouraging smile. "I'm sure you'll do great," she purred. "It'll be nice to have you training with us."

Lionkit grinned. He watched as the molly padded off to join Honeypaw by the fresh-kill pile.

Icekit let out a breezy sigh. "I wish I was an apprentice."

You and me both, Lionkit thought. He shifted, tail twitching with excitement. Just a couple more days now.

Foxkit glanced up at Lionkit. The little tom looked worried. "Lionkit," he asked. "Will you still play with us when you're an apprentice?"

Lionkit smiled and pawed playfully at Foxkit. "Of course I will!" he purred. "And once you're apprentices, too, I'll show you all the best moves!" He glanced back towards the apprentices again. Berrypaw was showing off his jump to a weary-looking Ashfur while Mousepaw tried to get his brother to move on. _And I'll be even better than Berrypaw!_


	4. Chapter 3

Jaykit listened as Breezekit squirmed in their mother's paws. "But I don't _need_ you to wash me!" Breezekit complained. "I'm about to be an apprentice. I can bathe myself!"

Jaykit flicked his tail. "You're always covered in burrs," he teased. "Nightcloud's going to being chasing you around to clean you even when we _are_ apprentices."

Nightcloud shifted, and there was a pause in her steady rasping. "Jaykit, you're next!" she snorted. "You're both dirty as moles!"

Jaykit grimaced. _Yuck_! He was far too old to be groomed by his mother. _I'm about to be an apprentice, for StarClan's sake!_

"I want you both looking handsome as can be for your ceremony," Nightcloud carried on. A flip of her tail stirred up the dry moss in the den. "Heatherpaw looked like a hedgehog when she was apprenticed! I tried my best to clean her up, but she wouldn't have it."

There was a soft chuckle from Gorsetail, another queen. "She fought us off with the strength of LionClan itself!"

A warm feeling of adoration came from Nightcloud, and Jaykit's whiskers twitched with interest. He could sense that his mother was fond of the apprentice, and for good reason. Both of Heatherpaw's parents had died moons ago, and it fell to Gorsetail and Nightcloud to watch her until she was made an apprentice. The memories drifted around in the back of Jaykit's mind as Nightcloud spoke of it. And then, Nightcloud shook herself a little, and it was gone.

"I don't _care_ what Heatherpaw looked like," Breezekit grumbled. "I don't care how I look! I just want to be a warrior _now_!"

Jaykit swallowed at that. _Am I even going to be a warrior?_ He wondered. The young tom was blind, and he wasn't oblivious to the doubts of a few of his Clanmates. Jaykit could practically feel the uncertainty rolling off of them whenever he walked by.

"Mother?" he asked, cautiously. "Is Onestar going to make me an apprentice?"

Nightcloud sat up quite suddenly. "What kind of question is that?" she demanded. Her tail lashed. Jaykit was startled by the heat of her anger. "Of course he will!" she spat. "StarClan, I'll claw any cat who says otherwise."

"Yeah," Breezekit agreed. "We're gonna be the best moor runners around!"

Gorsetail shifted quietly. "Maybe you should consider being a tunneler, Jaykit," Gorsetail suggested. "You don't have to see to be a tunneler."

Jaykit swung his head in her direction and wrinkled his nose. _Gross!_ He thought. _Mucking around underground all day? No thanks!_ "I'd rather not," Jaykit retorted with a sharp snort.

Breezekit nodded. "We've been ready to be moor runners forever," he insisted. "I wonder who our mentors will be."

Nightcloud rasped her tongue over Breezekit's back once more before she replied, "Well, Onestar will decide that after the ceremony," she said.

Jaykit scowled. _What's the point of that?_ He wondered. _Breezekit and I already_ know _we want to be moor runners._

A yowl rang out from outside the nursery. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a Clan meeting!"

"That's _us_!" Breezekit shouted, and tore himself free from Nightcloud's paws.

"Breezekit!" Nightcloud called after. "For StarClan's sake, _walk_!"

Jaykit had jumped up to stand, but he forced himself to walk so as to not elicit another scold from Nightcloud. She purred approvingly and left he nursery just a pawstep behind him.

Jaykit angled his ears around and tasted the air, trying to get a sense for everyone was. "Where's Hollykit?" he asked.

A sharp jolt of irritation came from Nightcloud. "With Crowfeather," she grumbled.

Jaykit frowned at that. Hollykit was _always_ off with Crowfeather—she couldn't even join them before the ceremony? He flicked his tail, feeling the same annoyance as his mother.

"Over here, Jaykit," Onestar's voice called. Jaykit turned slightly to his right and padded towards him. He sounded higher up—the WindClan leader must have been perched at the top of the slope towards the back of camp.

A few cats shuffled out of the way as he padded towards Onestar. Jaykit caught Breezekit's scent and padded towards him until Breezekit's tail brushed his whiskers. Jaykit's frown deepened. He could sense the doubt from a few of his Clanmates, but couldn't place it to any one cat. Hollykit came shuffling over to stand on Jaykit's other side. Her anxiety rolled off of her in jarring waves.

 _She still doesn't really know what she wants,_ Jaykit thought.

Onestar cleared his throat. "Today we gather to make three kits apprentices. They have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for them to begin their warrior training."

A sharp voice came from far behind Jaykit. "Surely Jaykit can't be a warrior."

It was Crowfeather. Jaykit bristled. _Of course he had to ruin this!_ Anger burned in his chest. _W_ _hy can't he just be quiet?_

Breezekit was bristling, too. "I swear, if he says anything else…" he growled.

"Shut up!" Nightcloud hissed. There was a soft thud, and Jaykit assumed she had cuffed him over the ears.

"I'm just saying," Crowfeather muttered. "How will he defend himself? It's not safe for a blind cat out there."

 _I can defend myself just fine!_ Jaykit thought, unsheathing his claws.

"Enough," Onestar quickly replied. "I hear your concern, but Jaykit is being made an apprentice today."

Hollykit touched her tail to Jaykit's shoulder. "I know you're mad," she whispered. "But he's just worried about you."

Jaykit shrugged her off. _He doesn't need to be!_ It wasn't like Crowfeather had cared before. He only paid any attention to Hollykit. _If he ever spent time with me, he'd know my smell and hearing are better than anyone else's_.

Crowfeather muttered something incomprehensible, but didn't outright argue again.

Onestar shifted. "Now… Hollykit, please step forward."

Hollykit moved a few pawsteps ahead.

"Hollykit," Onestar meowed. "You have reached the age of six moons old, and are now ready to become an apprentice. Until you finish your training and receive your warrior name, you will be known as Hollypaw."

Jaykit had heard that in other Clans, mentors were given immediately. However, in WindClan, they were assigned after the tour of the territory, once apprentices had been shown how moor runners and tunnelers both worked. _I guess it makes sense,_ Jaykit thought. _But I already_ know _I want to be a moor runner._

"Jaykit," Onestar continued. "Please come forward."

As Jaykit stepped to stand beside his sister, he heard a mutter from Leafpaw. "This is rabbit-brained. He can't even see."

Jaykit swung around his head around towards him. _I'm blind, not deaf!_

Ashfoot, however, was quick to chide him. "You're training to be a tunneler, Leafpaw," she snapped. "You should know better than most that sight isn't everything."

Jaykit felt a bit pleased to have the deputy's support, and the embarrassment that radiated from Leafpaw made it all the more satisfying.

Onestar seemed irritated. "There have been quite enough interruptions," the tom grunted. He sniffed before he carried on. "Jaykit, you have reached the age of six moons, and you are ready to become an apprentice. Until you complete your training and receive your warrior name, you will be known as Jaypaw."

Jaypaw lifted his chin. _Finally_! he thought. _I'll show them. Breezekit and I are going to be the best moor runners in the Clan._

"Breezekit, please come forward."

Breezekit's pelt brushed Jaypaw's as he stood beside him.

"You have reached the age of six moons," Onestar declared. "and you are ready to be made an apprentice. Until you complete your training and receive your warrior name, you will be known as Breezepaw."

Jaypaw jolted slightly as cheers erupted from WindClan.

"Hollypaw! Jaypaw! Breezepaw!"

Nightcloud's proud yowl could be heard above all the others. "Hollypaw! Jaypaw! Breezepaw!"

Jaypaw couldn't pick his father's voice out of the din, but he assumed he called only Hollypaw's name. The thought nagged at him, dampening his excitement. _I'd be more surprised if he_ were _cheering for Breezepaw and I,_ he thought, scornfully.

Onestar padded down the slope. "Let's get started on our patrol," he said. "We'll take…" he paused to think. "Tawnyfur! Tornear!" he called. "Bring your apprentices along."

Jaypaw listened as the warriors padded towards them. He could scent Antpaw and Harepaw nearby.

Onestar brushed past the new apprentices, heading for the camp exit. "Come along," he meowed. "Time to see the territory."

* * *

Lionkit padded out from the nursery, head and tail held high. _I_ _t's finally happening!_ he thought. _I'm going to be an apprentice!_

Firestar was perched atop the Highledge. Lionkit's grandfather looked regal as ever, and he smiled proudly down on Lionkit as the kit approached. The ThunderClan cats were at either side of him, nodding and purring encouragingly as he went.

Squirrelflight padded along behind him, but stopped a few paces short of the Highledge. "Go on," she purred, before she moved aside to sit beside Leafpool. Brambleflower was seated just below the Highledge. He said nothing, but flashed a grin at his son.

"ThunderClan," Firestar began. "We gather for one of my favorite ceremonies. Today another young cat joins our ranks and begins his training. Lionkit, you have reached the age of six moons and are ready to be made an apprentice. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Lionpaw."

Lionpaw's grin only widened. _Lionpaw!_ He thought to himself. _Finally! No more sitting around in the nursery for me_! He kneaded his paws in anticipation. _Who's he gonna make my mentor?_ He wondered. _Sorreltail? Rainwhisker? Maybe Birchfall_?

Firestar turned his gaze towards another cat. "Brightheart," he called. "You are long overdue for your first apprentice. Please, come forward."

 _Brightheart?_ Lionpaw blinked. He was surprised and pleased. _She's a great warrior._

Others moved aside so the molly could step forward to stand beside Lionpaw. The one-eyed warrior looked just as surprised as Lionpaw. "I wasn't expecting this, Firestar," Brightheart admitted. "But I will proudly train Lionpaw."

Firestar nodded. "Brightheart, you have shown yourself to be a brave and dependable warrior, and you have overcome much in your life. I have no doubt that you will pass on all your skills to Lionpaw and make him a great warrior."

Brightheart turned to face Lionpaw. She extended her muzzle to him, and Lionpaw wasted no time in touching his nose to hers.

"Lionpaw!" His Clanmates cheered. "Lionpaw! Lionpaw!"

Firestar waited for the cheers to die down before he stood and lifted his tail. "That is all," he said. "Lionpaw, I wish you the best in your training."

Other ThunderClan cats started to return to their business. Lionpaw gazed up at Brightheart eagerly. "So?" he asked. "What are we going to do? Tour the territory? Hunting practice? Battle training?"

Brightheart laughed. "Take it easy, Lionpaw. We'll go see the territory first." She glanced towards Brambleflower, who had stood and was padding towards them. "But I think your father looks like he'd like a word first."

Brambleflower dipped his head to Brightheart. "I won't hold you back long," he purred. "I'm sure Lionpaw is itching to get going."

 _I am!_ Lionpaw thought, with an impatient flick of his tail. He wanted to leave camp _now_. He'd waited six moons, after all!

Brambleflower looked to Lionpaw. "I just wanted to say I'm proud of you," he meowed. "And I look forward to training with you. _Both_ of you."

Lionpaw smiled and butted his head against Brambleflower's chest affectionately. "Thanks, Pa," he replied.

Brambleflower smiled and nodded once more to Brightheart. "You've got a good mentor here," he said. "Be sure you listen to everything she says."

Lionpaw rolled his eyes. "Aw, come on, I _know_!" _I'm not a kit anymore!_

Brightheart flicked her tail. "I think we ought to get going. It's already near sun-high."

"Of course," Brambleflower agreed. "And I've got more patrols to sort." He turned and padded off.

Brightheart led the way towards the thorn tunnel. Lionpaw wanted to take off running out of the stone walls of camp, but he forced himself to keep Brightheart's slow pace.

"We'll head to the lake, first," Brightheart meowed. "And work our way towards ShadowClan from there."

Lionpaw hardly heard her. They were padding through the space between the thorns and out into the forest. He was finally out of camp.

* * *

"The lake is over there," Onestar was saying. "And the moor stretches far that way."

Jaypaw couldn't help but feel annoyed. He wanted to enjoy his first outing, but Onestar was hardly describing anything in a way that would work for Jaypaw. He did his best to listen and map out things in his head, but Onestar's remarks like 'that way' and 'back there' and 'over here' were entirely useless to him.

"The stream up ahead marks our border with ThunderClan," Onestar meowed.

Jaypaw flicked his tail in annoyance. He didn't want to make a scene and further give any cat reason to doubt him, but this was entirely unhelpful.

Hollypaw brushed her tail against his flank. "The stream is down this slope," she explained, in a low voice. "It's about as far away as twice the length of camp."

Jaypaw considered this a moment until he could place it in his mind. He was quiet for a few heartbeats before he nodded in the slightest. "Thanks," he huffed. _She must have noticed how irritated I was,_ he thought.

"Why not have a race?" Tornear suggested. "Harepaw, are you up for it?"

Tornear's apprentice, who was traveling a few steps ahead of the new apprentice, flicked his tail up in the air. "Oh, yes!" Harepaw agreed. "Races are a big part of moor runner training."

Jaypaw pricked his ears. _A race?_ Finally, a chance to show he wasn't useless!

Breezepaw sounded eager as well. "Where to?"

"Tornear can decide," Onestar meowed.

"Hmm," the warrior mused. "How about to the stream and back to us?"

"Antpaw, do you want to race?" Tawnyfur asked.

The apprentice scoffed. "Race a bunch of moor runners? Yeah, right. I'll wait with you."

Onestar's pawsteps stopped, so Jaypaw halted. The leader seemed to have sat down. "Very well, he said. "Jaypaw, Breezepaw, Hollypaw, come up here beside Harepaw."

The warriors moved aside for the apprentices. Jaypaw lined up between Harepaw and Breezepaw. Breezepaw was shifting about excitedly.

"Ready?" Tornear asked. "Again, it's to the stream and back. Ready… set…"

Jaypaw stiffened, ready to leap forward.

"Go!"

Jaypaw sprung forward. He charged forward, pushing himself to run as fast as he could. Tall grasses whipped at his face as he went, and he flinched uncertainly as the blades struck across him again and again. He hadn't ever thought of grass as something bothersome, and it didn't necessarily _hurt,_ but crashing through the grass was making it harder for him to tell where he was going.

Ahead, he could hear the other apprentices overtaking him. Harepaw's heavier thuds seemed to be just ahead of Breezepaw. Both toms seemed to easily race on ahead—Hollypaw lagged a few paces behind, but remained irritatingly just a few steps in front of Jaypaw.

Jaypaw's lungs quickly began to ache. He wasn't used to a flat out sprint like this, and he had no idea how Breezepaw so easily kept up with Harepaw. His movements became less even as he struggled to keep his pace.

And then, quite suddenly, there was a slap of paws on wet earth, and Harepaw came racing past Jaypaw as he doubled back to return to the warriors. Only a heartbeat later, Breezepaw went charging by.

Jaypaw skidded awkwardly on the stream bank. _Hare-dung!_ he thought. If he hadn't been so focused on running, he would have heard the rushing stream and slowed sooner. Hollypaw turned and went running back. Jaypaw regained his footing and started to run again, but he already was losing steam and motivation. _I_ _'ve already lost_! he thought, scowling.

He forced himself to run back rather than give in to the temptation to just walk.

"Well done, Harepaw!" Onestar loudly meowed. "Breezepaw, you came pretty close. Not bad for your first proper race."

Jaypaw felt a twisting feeling of disappointment. His first chance to impress his Clanmates, and he'd come dead last by far. When he finally caught up, Hollypaw was quick to try and comfort him. "Don't feel bad," she meowed. "I was just a step ahead. Breezepaw and Harepaw were way ahead of both of us."

Jaypaw didn't say anything.

Breezepaw was elated. "Jaypaw, did you hear?" he asked. "I was just a whisker length away from Harepaw."

Harepaw shouldered the smaller tom good-naturedly. "Lucky first go!" he said, jokingly. "Race me again when you've had training all day to begin with."

"You're on!" Breezepaw retorted.

Onestar cleared his throat. "Tawnyfur, if you wouldn't mind leading the way towards a tunnel…"

The molly stood. "Of course, Onestar," she said. "Let's see… I think the closest should be the one near the strip of woods."

 _Woods?_ Jaypaw thought. _I thought the forest was all on ThunderClan's side of the stream._

"Right this way," Tawnyfur went on. "It's not too far."

Jaypaw tried to conceal his exhaustion as they padded on. _How am I supposed to be a great moor runner if I can't even run?_

* * *

The trip, as promised, was a quick one. They'd traveled slightly uphill until Jaypaw could smell the scent of oak. _I guess there are woods here after all._

"So," Tawnyfur began to explain. "As you can see, the entrance is right here. It looks no different than the entrance to a badger set, albeit a bit wider, but it's a tunnel all right. It's one of the more straightforward ones—it's a straight shot down for a bit and there's one split. One direction goes towards ThunderClan territory, and the other goes into a wider cavern underground."

Jaypaw felt a prick of interest at the mention of ThunderClan. "Have they ever been used to spy on ThunderClan?" he asked.

"Of course not!" Tawnyfur sharply replied. She seemed offended by the very idea. "Tunnels provide us with alternate means of getting about and another way to find prey."

Onestar sniffed. "The tunnels _could_ be used for that, though. If it were necessary."

Jaypaw could sense Hollypaw's disbelief. _Oh, she's getting all worked up about the warrior code again_ , he thought. Had his eyes been open, he would have rolled them.

"Let's head down," Tawnyfur huffed. She still seemed bothered.

 _I wonder what that's all about,_ Jaypaw thought. Was there some sort of disagreement between moor runners and tunnelers about the use of the tunnels, or was it just Tawnyfur who was irritated?

Jaypaw listened as Tawnyfur stepped forward. She continued to walk, and it was clear she was walking down, until the sound of her pawsteps vanished altogether. Antpaw went in after. Jaypaw was closest, so he headed for the hole next.

It was easy to tell where the opening was by the smell of the freshly dug earth. Jaypaw headed down into it.

It… wasn't quite as bad as he imagined. The earth below his feet was well packed from the countless times it had been walked over before. He could smell the soil all around him clearly, but it wasn't an overwhelming scent. And he wasn't even as cramped as Jaypaw had figured he would be—the tunnel was surprisingly wide, and the ends of his whiskers only occasionally brushed the sides of a wall. The most notable difference, really, was the air—it became stagnant as they went deeper.

"StarClan," Hollypaw eventually exclaimed. "I can't see a thing anymore!"

"Gee," Jaypaw snapped. "I can't imagine what that must be like for you. Please, tell me, is it difficult to not see for a few moments?" Bitter sarcasm dripped from every word.

Hollypaw flinched. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"It's not that bad once you get used to it," Antpaw meowed. "I mean, I could be comfortable sleeping underground."

Tawnyfur chuckled at her apprentice. "You'd sleep anywhere, Antpaw!"

"Is tunneling dangerous?" Jaypaw asked, feeling a bit curious.

"Hmm… well… sometimes," Tawnyfur replied. "Cave-ins can happen if you aren't careful, or if the type of soil changes and becomes suddenly finer."

"Like sand?" Jaypaw guessed.

"Yes!" Tawnyfur meowed. She seemed surprised by Jaypaw's interest, and he could sense the same from his littermates behind him. "Anyone else know what the trouble with digging in sand is?"

Hollypaw was notably uncertain. Jaypaw could tell she was trying to come up with something. Finally, he sighed and replied, "It's all by water?"

"There you go," Tawnyfur said. "Sand usually means water. However, if you get far enough underground, you may not even feel sand when you hit water. That's why making sure to pay attention to how wet the dirt is can be extremely important, especially with the lake there."

Antpaw shuddered. In the back of Jaypaw's mind, he heard a strange sound, something like a loud suck or a squelch, before a burst of rushing water and the startled yowls of cats. He bristled with fear at the strength of the memory—he could nearly feel the water slamming against his own pelt.

"I was caught in a flood once," Antpaw finally said. "It was terrible. Emberpaw almost died."

Tawnyfur nodded. "I remember that one. We were lucky that day."

An odd jolt of excitement came from Antpaw. "Sometimes it's exhilarating," he admitted, in a lighter tone. "Nothing brings cats together like racing away from a cave-in."

From far behind, Tornear scoffed quietly. "I'll never understand you tunnelers," he chuckled. "Imagine if I said I enjoyed being chased by dogs!"

The ground started to become more level. Jaypaw's whiskers twitched as he detected the slightest breeze. "Is there wind coming from ahead?" he asked.

"Yes!" Tawnyfur replied. "We've reached the split. Going straight ahead and following the fresh air would take us out into ThunderClan territory, while going this way…" Her voice seemed to travel down and to their left once more. "Leads us to that cave."

Jaypaw followed Antpaw down the lower path. The air became still once more. The tunnel began to widen out. For a moment, he felt a pelt brush his, and he frowned and lashed his tail. "Don't crowd me, Hollypaw!" he snapped.

"What?" Hollypaw's voice came from behind him. "I'm not!"

Jaypaw was confused. A moment later, he couldn't feel the pelt that had touched him. _Did I imagine it?_ he wondered. "Sorry," he called back. "I… thought I felt something."

Eventually, the tunnel widened even further, and it was a tunnel no more. Jaypaw couldn't sense the sides of it near him, so he paused, trying to get an idea of how far away everything was this time.

"This is a smaller one," Tawnyfur explained. "Just slightly bigger than nursery. We should be able to all fit in here."

Breezepaw shuffled in to stand beside Jaypaw. He was clearly agitated, shuffling his paws and twitching about nervously. "This gives me the creeps," he muttered. "How can any cat stand not feeling the wind in their fur? The air in here just feels _dead_."

Jaypaw shrugged. "It doesn't bother me that much, actually."

"A big part of tunneler work is digging," Tawnyfur explained. "We maintain old tunnels and dig new ones. We also hunt down here. Rabbits retreating into their burrows aren't a problem for us when we've dug right into it."

"What kind of prey is down here?" Hollypaw asked.

"Lots of moles," Antpaw replied. "Otherwise, mostly some mice and rabbits. Once I ran into a weasel, though, and _that_ was a pretty bad time."

Onestar coughed slightly. Jaypaw got the feeling the old tom wasn't much a fan of being down here either. "Let's head back," he suggested. "We've still got the RiverClan border to see."

"Please," Harepaw muttered. "The sooner I'm out, the better."

Onestar's pawsteps quickly could be heard heading back out the tunnel. The others followed, this time Jaypaw finding himself behind Breezepaw and ahead of Antpaw. Jaypaw felt a nagging sense of uncertainty as they went. He had known for moons he wanted to be a moor runner - but what if tunneling wasn't as bad as he had made it out to be?

* * *

Lionpaw padded along beside Brightheart, taking in all of the sights of ThunderClan with awe. He listened attentively as she pointed out landmarks and good hunting spots. They had walked along the lakeside for a while before heading deeper into the forest. ThunderClan territory was thick with undergrowth, but natural paths seemed to weave their way throughout the forest.

The woods started to thin out. Brightheart paused and touched her tail to Lionpaw's shoulder, so he stopped and glanced up at her expectantly. "Up ahead is the ShadowClan border," she said. "Smell it?"

Lionpaw parted his jaws and tasted the air. A sharp, musky scent hit his tongue, and he wrinkled his nose. "Yuck!" he exclaimed. "ShadowClan really smells like _that_?"

Brightheart looked amused. "Yes," she said. "The border is worse, though."

There was a rustling from the ferns beyond the border. "Not thinking of trespassing today, are you?" A patrol of ShadowClan cats emerged. At the head was a large brown tabby, presumably the one who had spoken. A gray tabby stood at his side, and two younger cats padded out to sneer at Lionpaw and Brightheart.

"Cedarheart," Brightheart meowed, voice even. "How's the prey running?"

"I bet they _were_ going to cross," snapped one of the younger cats, a black-and-white tom.

Brightheart remained cordial. "I see Crowpaw has grown," she commented. "Training going well?"

Crowpaw silently stuck out his tongue.

Lionpaw frowned. _Geeze!_ He thought. _ShadowClan cats have no manners at all._

The gray tabby warrior stared suspiciously at her. "What are you doing so close to the border?" he asked. "Doesn't look you're marking it."

Brightheart sighed and flicked her tail towards Lionpaw. "I'm just showing Lionpaw the borders. He's my apprentice now." She glanced towards the second apprentice, who seemed even younger than Crowpaw. "Is that one yours, Webfoot?"

Webfoot relaxed a little and nodded begrudgingly. He nudged the tortoiseshell. "This is Redpaw," he grunted. "Got him a quarter moon ago." Redpaw glared fiercely at the pair.

 _Are ShadowClan cats just angry by nature?_ Lionpaw wondered. _He looks like I put thorns in his nest or something!_

Cedarheart seemed irritated by the small talk. "We have other boundaries to mark," he reminded Webfoot.

Webfoot snorted slightly. "It doesn't hurt to be courteous." He flicked an ear. "Brightheart gets along with us well enough."

Lionpaw glanced curiously at his mentor. _Why does she get on well with ShadowClan cats?_

Brightheart took a step back with a dip of her head. "Well, we'll be on our way. Plenty more for Lionpaw to see."

Webfoot nodded briefly to her. Cedarheart pointedly headed towards a stump to mark it.

Lionpaw followed Brightheart as she padded back the way they'd come. "Brightheart," he meowed. "What did Webfoot mean when he said you were friends?"

Brightheart chuckled lightly. "Oh, we're not friends. But ShadowClan cats are a bit nicer to me than most. They… well, they like my scars. Apparently ShadowClan cats find scars impressive, and…" she shrugged. "I've got more than most."

 _Huh_. Lionpaw considered this as they walked, then shrugged to himself.

They rounded a fallen log when another strange scent hit Lionpaw's nose. He tasted the air uncertainly. "Brightheart," he meowed. "What's that?"

Brightheart sniffed the air. Her eye widened. "Get behind me!" she hissed.

As she spoke, a low growl came from the bushes ahead. Slowly, stiffly, a thin leg appeared, followed by the body of some sort of russet-furred thing. It was about the size of a full grown cat, but its muzzle was long and thin.

"Fox!" Brightheart growled. The fox's lips drew back as it snarled furiously. "Lionpaw, get back to camp!"

Lionpaw hesitated a moment before he stepped forward to her side. "No!" he snapped. "I won't leave you!"

" _Go!_ " Brightheart snapped.

Before Lionpaw could decide whether or not to obey, the fox lunged.

* * *

As Jaypaw and the others neared camp, Tornear split off with Harepaw to train elsewhere, and Tawnyfur and Antpaw had followed. It was now just Onestar with the apprentices.

"So?" Onestar asked. "Have you all decided how you'd rather train?"

"Moor runner, of course!" Breezepaw immediately replied. "I already knew that."

Jaypaw was hesitant. The race had made him feel useless, and while part of him _knew_ it was because he had no practice, another dwelled on the fact that he had been comfortable in the tunnels.

 _I don't know if I'll ever make a good moor runner,_ Jaypaw thought. _What if I can be a great tunneler?_

Hollypaw finally spoke up. "I don't really know what I want," she fretted. "Do I have to decide now?"

" _You_ don't need to make a decision," Onestar replied breezily. "I've already made up my mind about you."

 _Huh?_ Jaypaw frowned. _What's that supposed to mean?_ He pushed the thought away—he would find out soon enough, he supposed. Finally, he spoke. "I… think I want to be a tunneler."

The force of Breezepaw's shock and disbelief nearly knocked Jaypaw off his feet. "What?" Breezepaw demanded.

Onestar didn't seem to notice Breezepaw. "Very well," he said. "I think that'll suit you. Hm… Willowclaw could do with an apprentice. As for Breezepaw… Whitetail would do well."

Breezepaw didn't even brighten at the mention of his mentor. His tail was clearly drooped—it dragged through the grass as he walked.

"What about me?" Hollypaw asked.

"Ah," Onestar meowed. "I will mentor you myself."

"Really?" Jaypaw felt joy and relief wash over Hollypaw. "Oh, wow! Thank you, Onestar!"

Jaypaw flattened his ears. _It's not that_ I _want Onestar to mentor me… but seriously? She gets to be the leader's apprentice?_

The camp barrier was well within sight. Jaypaw hung back as Onestar and Hollypaw padded on. Breezepaw seemed to notice, for he stopped as well.

"Breezepaw?" Jaypaw meowed. He lowered his chin. "I'm sorry."

Hurt was clear in Breezepaw's voice. "We were going to train together!" he snapped. He paused, and his mew was softer as he added, "I thought you wanted to train with me."

Jaypaw's tail dropped. "I did," he said. "It's not that… I just _know_ that I'll do better as a tunneler. We're still brothers."

There was a beat of silence. Finally, Breezepaw swallowed, before he asked, "You mean it?"

"Of course!" Jaypaw said. "You'll always be my brother. And we'll still train together sometimes."

Breezepaw shifted from paw to paw. "You're not… doing it because you don't want to be around me?"

Jaypaw could feel Breezepaw's insecurity strongly. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling to sense from his brother—he seemed to grapple with it often, whenever Breezepaw was alone in his thoughts or when they noticed Crowfeather spending time with Hollypaw. He nodded quickly. "No way," he assured Breezepaw. "It's not anything like that."

Breezepaw sighed softly. "Okay. I'm… sorry." He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Jaypaw's. "Brothers," he said.

"Brothers," Jaypaw agreed.

They hurried to catch up to Onestar and Hollypaw, Jaypaw feeling lighter than he had all day.

* * *

Brightheart leaped aside as the fox leaped for her. The creature landed, whipped around, and let out a jarring scream as it darted for Lionpaw next. Rather than dodge, he swiped for its face—and it immediately ducked and shoved him over with its head.

"Lionpaw!" Brightheart cried.

"Get off me!" Lionpaw snarled. The fox was on top of him, snapping and snarling and breaking off to let out its strange shrieks. He sliced his claws across its nose, eliciting a satisfying splurt of blood.

Brightheart threw herself upon the fox. She knocked it off of Lionpaw, beating it again and again with her paws. They rolled over a few times before they fell away from each other. The fox shook its head, and spat out a clump of her fur.

Lionpaw rolled over and stood back up, bristling furiously. He yowled and charged the fox.

The fox suddenly whirled about on him, and he hesitated in his attack. Suddenly, it surged forward and sank its jaws into Lionpaw's shoulder. Lionpaw screeched, fell onto his side, and began to pummel the fox with his hind legs.

Another yowl rang out from behind them. "It's a fox!"

"A fox has got Lionpaw!"

Hope flared in Lionpaw's chest. _It's Brackenfur!_ He wrenched himself free of the fox's grip with a last kick. As Brackenfur came racing towards them, Sandstorm and Honeypaw running just steps behind, the fox stiffened. It's gaze shifted about nervously.

Lionpaw bared his teeth and snarled. _It knows it's outnumbered now!_

The fox took a step back. And then, with a swish of its thick tail, it turned and darted off into the undergrowth.

Brackenfur's patrol slowed to check on them. "Are you alright?" Brackenfur panted.

"Fine," Brightheart huffed. She shook herself a bit. "It got Lionpaw pretty bad, though."

 _Hm?_ Lionpaw tried to get a look at his shoulder. He had certainly _felt_ the fox bite him, but there seemed to be not a single drop of blood on him. He shrugged. "I'm not bleeding."

Sandstorm narrowed her eyes. "You two need to go back to camp," she ordered. "Fox bites turn sour quickly."

Lionpaw bristled. "Didn't you hear me?" he retorted. "I'm fine!"

Honeypaw's eyes widened. Sandstorm bristled furiously. "You'd do well to watch your tongue, Lionpaw," she snapped.

He flinched under the severity of his grandmother's tone. "Sorry," he muttered.

Sandstorm's tail lashed. "Back to camp," she ordered. "Now."

Brightheart nodded. "That's for the best. Will you go after the fox?"

"Yes," Brackenfur decided. "We've wasted enough time already." He led the way for the others off in the direction the fox had gone.

Brightheart and Lionpaw went their own way in silence. Lionpaw checked his shoulder every so often. Even the slightest feeling of soreness he had felt was quickly fading. It was as though the fox hadn't even bitten him. Lionpaw shrugged to himself once more. _I don't know why it didn't rip me up,_ he thought. _Stupid fox._


	5. Chapter 4

Breezepaw jolted awake as something prodded him in the ribs. He grunted softly and opened an eye to see Heatherpaw standing over him. The sky was only faintly lit. _It's barely dawn._

Heatherpaw was grinning. "Time for training!" she purred. "You and Whitetail are coming hunting with Crowfeather and I."

Breezepaw blinked a few times before he rolled off of his side and onto his paws. He stood slowly and glanced around. Jaypaw was asleep nearby, as were Emberpaw and Leafpaw. Antpaw lay just beyond Leafpaw. _Hollypaw and Harepaw are out already, I guess._

"Breezepaw!" Whitetail called. The molly was standing by Crowfeather near the camp exit.

Heatherpaw chuckled. "Come on. Don't want to be lagging on your first real day."

Breezepaw silently followed her across camp, stepping gingerly over the sleeping bodies of his Clanmates. _Do apprentices always have to get up this early?_ he wondered, with a glance back towards the others. _Or is it just us?_

Heatherpaw seemed to read his mind. "Don't worry," she meowed. "It won't be up at dawn every day. Some days we're up late and out until moon-high!"

"What?" Breezepaw looked back at her, bewildered. "Seriously?"

Heatherpaw's eyes gleamed with humor. "No, silly, I was kidding. Only ShadowClan actually does anything that late." She flicked her tail as she hurried towards the mentors.

Breezepaw wasn't particularly overjoyed to spend time with Crowfeather. _Why can't we train with Hollypaw?_ he wondered. _Or Emberpaw and Harepaw?_ He didn't hate Heatherpaw, by any means, but his father had yet to show any real interest in him.

Crowfeather glanced at him, an unreadable expression on his face. Breezepaw scowled, recalling how Crowfeather had acted when Onestar made Jaypaw an apprentice. _He hates us,_ he thought, and flicked his tail furiously. _It's only Hollypaw he likes._

Whitetail smiled at him, seemingly oblivious to the tension between father and son. "Ready?" she asked.

"Yeah," Breezepaw grumbled. _I guess_.

"Great." Whitetail turned and quickly headed up the slope. Crowfeather followed, and Heatherpaw padded alongside Breezepaw as they walked.

They left camp and turned to head uphill, heading up past the back of camp. The land slopes upward from here before it flattened out again at the top of the steep slope.

"There's often fowl up here this early in the morning," Whitetail explained. "They can be a pain to catch, but their eggs are delicious if you find their nests."

Crowfeather curled his lip. "They're disgusting," he argued. "It's just a puddle of slime, and half the thing goes wasted anyway once you crack it open."

Heatherpaw flicked Breezepaw with her tail. "Have you ever eaten an egg?" she asked. When Breezepaw shook his head, she grinned. "I hope we find some. Forget what Crowfeather says. They _are_ pretty tasty. They're hard to carry, so we don't usually have to bring them back to camp."

Crowfeather scoffed quietly.

Breezepaw regarded his father, feeling a prick of curiosity. _Does he get along with Heatherpaw?_ he wondered. _He doesn't act like it._

When they reached the top of the slope, Whitetail lifted her tail to caution them. Breezepaw peered forward, then spotted the flock. There was a group of plump birds foraging among the short, dry grass. They were quite large—about as tall as he was.

Whitetail turned to face him. In a low voice, she said, "Show me your best hunter's crouch."

Breezepaw nodded and dropped into a crouch. He kept his eyes forward, paws tucked neatly below, and his tail held up.

Crowfeather snorted quietly. Breezepaw glared at him. "What?"

"Keeping your tail lifted so high is a surefire way to tell the pheasants you're coming after them," Crowfeather said.

Irritation pricked at Breezepaw, and his tail lashed. _He hardly says two words to me while I'm in the nursery, and_ now _he wants to criticize me!_ He lifted his chin. "If I keep it low it will disturb the grass," Breezepaw argued. "They won't need to see me if they hear me coming!"

Crowfeather's eyes widened. It was clear the tom was growing impatient. "That's why you keep it level with your spine!" he snapped.

Before Breezepaw could say anything, Whitetail stepped between them. "Perhaps you and Heatherpaw should circle around and go in from the other side," she curtly suggested. "I can teach my own apprentice the proper way to hunt."

Breezepaw couldn't help but feel smug. _That's right,_ he thought, with a triumphant smirk tossed in Crowfeather's direction. _You're not my mentor!_

Crowfeather held Breezepaw's gaze a moment longer before he sniffed and looked away. He began to pad off, and flicked his tail for Heatherpaw to follow. She glanced back at Breezepaw and rolled her eyes before she trotted after him.

"Thanks," Breezepaw muttered.

Whitetail sighed softly. "I'm sure he's just stressed," she said. "Crowfeather… well, he's been under a lot of pressure for a long time."

 _Oh, who cares!_ Breezepaw thought, fighting the urge to bristle. _He sure seems to find time to hang out with Hollypaw!_ He lashed his tail once more. "Whatever," he replied. "Are we hunting or not?"

Whitetail nodded. "See how Crowfeather and Heatherpaw are approaching? We're going to do the same from the opposite direction. Then we'll come in from sides."

Breezepaw watched them a moment. Both had lowered themselves into crouches, and were slowly stalking around the edge of the flock. They remained a few fox-lengths away, clearly waiting to get close until they were in the right position. "I get the idea," he grumbled. A part of him wished Jaypaw were here. _He always makes things better._ _At least I wouldn't have to deal with Crowfeather alone._ Jaypaw always seemed to know what he was thinking, and often, they felt the same about things.

"Are you listening?" Whitetail asked, and Breezepaw jolted. "I said let's go." She turned and began to pad closer towards the fox. She got down low as she approached, and once she was about a tree's fall away, she veered off and began to circle them. Breezepaw followed, keeping a fox-length between himself and his mentor. Eventually, she halted.

Breezepaw stared out at the flock. The large birds were unaware that the cats were stalking them from two sides. From across them, he could see Crowfeather's ears sticking up through the dry grass. _So much for not being seen!_

Whitetail's tail brushed his shoulder. She jerked her chin towards the birds, then took a step towards them.

 _She wants me to advance._ Ever so carefully, Breezepaw crept forward. He focused his gaze on the nearest bird to him. It was a plain-looking brown thing, and it had its back turned to him as it tossed up grass and dirt in its attempt to find bugs. Breezepaw swiped his tongue across his lips. _It's going to be WindClan's food now._ He was painstakingly slow in his approach, until it was well within leaping distance.

Then Crowfeather came charging out of hiding. _Hare-dung! He'll scare them all away!_

A great number of the flock took to the wing in a great flurry of feathers. Breezepaw's pheasant, however, was a heartbeat too slow. He exploded from the grass and threw himself upon it. The pheasant screeched as they tumbled, and it beat at him desperately with his wings. Breezepaw struggled to get a grip on it—every time he clawed, he came away with only feathers in his claws.

The pheasant managed to break loose, and it began to lift off the ground. Breezepaw swung at it, and in a lucky moment, he snagged a claw on its leg and brought it crashing down back on the ground. He was quick to slam his other paw on the body while he bit its neck. He held the bird tight until it went totally limp.

"Well done, Breezepaw!" Whitetail exclaimed. She hurried towards him, beaming. "That was fantastic!"

Heatherpaw looked up, ears pricked. A limp pheasant hung from her jaws. Her catch had not a feather out of place. It was as though it had simply dropped dead at her paws. She dropped the bird and grinned. "Oh!" she meowed. "Did you get one too? I saw you fighting with it but didn't see the kill."

Breezepaw released his catch and nodded. Warm pride flooded him. _I caught prey on my first day!_

Whitetail was purring loudly, and Breezepaw wondered if she was even more excited than he was. "All I did on my first day out was nearly sprain my leg," she joked. She glanced at Crowfeather. "Look! Breezepaw caught one."

Crowfeather, who had just kicked the dirt in frustration, glanced over at them. His eyes slid down to regard Breezepaw's catch. A few moments of silence passed, and Breezepaw wondered if his father was actually about to compliment him.

"Sloppy," Crowfeather grunted. He turned and began to pad away.

Breezepaw's ears flattened. His excitement died away quickly. Instead, he felt only anger. W _hy can't he just be happy for me?_ He thought. _I caught one. Who cares how I got it done?_

Heatherpaw hurried to his side. "You did great!" she purred. "It can be surprising when prey puts up a fight, but you handled it like it was nothing!"

Breezepaw glanced up at her. His anger slowly began to fade. "Really?"

Heatherpaw nodded eagerly. "That was awesome," she assured him. "Crowfeather's just got a stick up his—" A stern look from Whitetail made her cough awkwardly. "—I mean, uh, he's just frustrated because he didn't catch anything."

Breezepaw glanced back towards his father. Crowfeather was heading off in the direction of the flock, which was beginning to settle back down some distance away. Breezepaw slowly began to smirk. _Ha! He thinks he can criticize_ my _catch? He didn't even bring back a feather!_

Whitetail stood. "Let's head back to camp," she said. "It's not too far. We can drop these off and then do a bit of sparring."

Heatherpaw hesitated before nodding. "I guess he didn't _say_ to come with, so I'll just follow you. I'd rather do battle practice than stalk pheasants all day so he can get something."

Whitetail nodded at that and padded over towards her own catch. She picked it up and began to head back the way they'd came. Heatherpaw collected her catch, and Breezepaw snatched up his own. They walked side-by-side once more on their return trip to camp.

Breezepaw glanced at her every so often. _Heatherpaw is the only one who really seems impressed by me,_ he thought. Sure, Whitetail had praised him, but wasn't that really part of her job as a mentor?

He swallowed and looked at her out of the corners of his eyes once more. Heatherpaw carried herself with confidence. Shoulders back, head and tail held high. She wasn't arrogant by any means, but nothing seemed to get her down. She'd managed to perfectly bring down her own bird, and yet Heatherpaw had chosen to praise _his_ mess of a catch. Heatherpaw was beautiful, too—though she was just over a moon older than him, she was already tall, and her pelt was sleek and soft.

A slow, warm feeling came over him. Breezepaw averted his gaze, trying not to be caught staring. He swallowed again.

Heatherpaw was perfect. Breezepaw knew in that moment he would do anything for her.


	6. Chapter 5

Hollypaw yawned loudly as she followed Onestar. The sun was just beginning to rise behind them, casting a warm orange glow across the surface of the lake. The water seemed to be their destination, for Onestar was leading her directly down the moor towards it.

 _I hope we're doing some kind of training,_ she thought. _Maybe we're getting a drink first?_ WindClan didn't have much in the means of water sources near camp—it was either trek to the border streams or head down to the lake. For those confined to camp, apprentices would bring back moss or sheep wool soaked in water. Rain did leave puddles across the moor, but it was always a miserable affair, since they had no dens for warriors and apprentices.

Onestar sat down in the sand on the shore. He stared out across the lake. The surface was calm and quiet. Hollypaw could see the gathering island from here, and she felt a little trill of excitement at the thought of attending her first.

At last, Onestar spoke. "Hollypaw," he meowed. "Look down at the water. Tell me what you see."

 _Huh_? Hollypaw looked down at the surface. Her reflection stared back up at her, occasionally rippled by the slightest movements of the water. She frowned. "Er… me?"

Onestar turned to face her. His gaze was intense. "I see potential," he said. "Potential that many of your Clanmates seem to lack."

Hollypaw straightened up, ears pricked. "What do you mean?"

Onestar stared up at the sky. His ears were set back. "Too many cats forget the warrior code," he declared. "They no longer truly value the words of our ancestors! But I've kept my eye on you, Hollypaw, and you seem to understand the importance of following and passing on our noble code."

 _Yes! I do!_ Hollypaw nodded eagerly.

Onestar carried on. "The other Clans have always thought WindClan to be _weak_. They push our borders, attack our patrols, steal our prey, and _then_ have the audacity to pity us." He narrowed his eyes and looked back at Hollypaw. "Cats like you will bring WindClan the strength it needs. The warrior code is the backbone of Clan life. It will make WindClan stronger than it has been."

Hollypaw resisted the urge to knead her paws in excitement. _Yes! Onestar understands!_ she thought. Her brothers had never understood her conviction in learning the code from the elders. But _Onestar_ did. She felt strangely triumphant. _Believing in the warrior code has already brought me the respect of my leader,_ she thought. _There's_ nothing _more important!_

"Is that why you decided to mentor me?" Hollypaw asked, eyes wide.

Onestar nodded once more. "You have great potential," he repeated. "I see a leader in you, someday. I want WindClan to have the leadership of those who are truly devoted to the code and their Clan. I will teach you all I know about leading a Clan."

 _Leader_? Hollypaw couldn't believe what she was hearing. She grinned proudly and puffed out her chest. Every kit dreamed of leading their Clan, but here was Onestar himself, practically _promising_ that the job was hers.

"Now, this is not a guarantee," Onestar cautioned her. "But train hard and remember what's truly important. If you can continue to prove yourself to me, you will lead WindClan one day. Remember that."

Hollypaw's tail twitched about excitedly. "I won't let you down!" she quickly promised. "I'll make you proud, Onestar."

"Very good." Onestar smiled in the slightest. "I have no doubt that you will."

* * *

Jaypaw sniffed at the entrance to a tunnel. Willowclaw stood at his side. "This tunnel has been a long project of ours," she was explaining. "The goal is to connect it to a number of others so that we have a more uniform tunnel system. Many of the tunnels are disconnected, which would make it harder for escape routes in the event of an attack or cave in." She paused before she added, "In the old territory, we had a proper tunneling system. Though we did find some that were already here, we've had to start from scratch once more."

Jaypaw sensed a twinge of longing and regret from his mentor. _She must miss the old forest._ He stood upright and nodded. "Okay," he meowed. "I smell Ashfoot and Leafpaw. Are we working with them today?"

Willowclaw nodded, and Jaypaw sensed that she was pleased that he had picked up their scents. "Yes, they went down a bit earlier. We're going to meet up with them where they're digging. Why don't you go in first? You can try to follow their scent."

 _Try_? Jaypaw very nearly scoffed at that. He had learned to pick out scents since he first began to comprehend smell. He could tell what the weather would be like for the day and what prey was halfway across the moor by scent alone. _That's easy._ "Sure," he replied, before he stepped into the tunnel.

He led the way down the steep tunnel. It was straightforward at first—just a steady decline into the earth. It was wider than the tunnel they had traveled in on their first day. He quickly reached a split in the path, and after a moment of sniffing, opted to head to the left.

"Are you sure?" Willowclaw asked.

 _Of course I am!_ Jaypaw bristled, but after a moment, he relaxed. _She's just testing me_. "Yes," he said.

"Keep going, then."

They continued on. The path was no longer descending, and instead was just a straight, continuous way. A few more times they reached splits, and Jaypaw turned this way and that until he heard a faint scraping sound echoing down the tunnel.

"They're up ahead," Jaypaw said. "I can hear them digging."

"Great work," Willowclaw praised. "It can be hard to pick out different smells underground if you're not used to it."

Jaypaw's instinct was to snap that it wasn't that hard at all, but he bit it back. He wasn't used to cats giving genuine praise to him—most times it tended to be something backwards with a comment on how he 'managed' despite being blind. Finally, he just nodded. "Thanks."

"Keep going," Whitetail instructed. "We're nearly there."

They headed down the tunnel. Jaypaw noted the change in the feel of the ground underpaw—while the rest of the way had been solid and packed down, the soil here was loose and seemed to have been freshly dug.

"Ashfoot, someone else is coming!" Leafpaw's voice rang out. "Who's there?"

"It's Willowclaw and Jaypaw!" Willowclaw called back. "How's the work going?"

Pawsteps could be heard as Leafpaw approached them. The other apprentice stopped a few steps short of running into Jaypaw. "It was fine for a while," Leafpaw explained. "But we just hit a seam of clay."

Jaypaw frowned. "Is that harder to dig through?"

Leafpaw nodded. "Yeah." His voice was a bit more curt now, and Jaypaw felt a prick of annoyance. Leafpaw had been one of the cats to vocally complain at his ceremony. _I'm not exactly pleased to work with you either!_

Willowclaw nudged Jaypaw from behind. "Come on."

"Leafpaw, hurry up!" Ashfoot called. "I've got dirt piling up up here."

Leafpaw turned around and headed back the way he'd came. Jaypaw and Willowclaw followed him for a few fox-lengths. Just past Leafpaw was Ashfoot, who was digging. Jaypaw listened as her paws dragged along the wall, followed by a soft plop of the clay.

"It sounds wet," Jaypaw commented. He lifted a forepaw and pressed it a bit harder to the ground. "The ground is wet, too."

Ashfoot paused in her digging a moment. "It is," she replied. "But we're not near the lake or border streams."

 _How can she tell?_ Jaypaw wondered. It felt like they had wandered over the whole territory in the tunnel. Ashfoot was the deputy, though, so Jaypaw figured she must know what she was talking about.

"Come here, Jaypaw," Ashfoot called. "Might as well get your claws in the dirt for the first time."

Jaypaw pricked his ears and padded forward. He squeezed past Leafpaw until he was standing beside Ashfoot. "Just start digging," she said.

Jaypaw lifted a paw and slowly scored his claws down the side of the wall. The clay oozed between his claws, and he awkwardly pulled down a wet clump of it. _It's_ really _wet,_ he thought.

"It's a bit hard at first," Ashfoot meowed. "Once your claws toughen up a bit and you build up some muscle, it'll get easier. It's not uncommon to break a claw or two while you're learning." She began to dig again. "Dig with me. Willowclaw and Leafpaw will drag the clay back through the tunnel to spread it out."

"Okay." Jaypaw lifted his paws again and began to dig. He fumbled a bit at first as he tried to get in a good position, but eventually found a steady rhythm with his swipes. The clay was thick and hard to dig through, and Jaypaw found himself tiring quickly. The wetness of it continued to nag at the back of his mind—if they weren't near the lake, why was it so damp? _It's not like WindClan is exactly a swamp._

Willowclaw and Leafpaw continued to work their way back and forth, dragging the dug up clay and spreading around on the floor of the tunnel. They kept the clay from piling up, which Jaypaw quickly realized was essential. Though he wasn't working all that quickly, Ashfoot kept up a steady rhythm without relenting, and she was tossing back clumps of clay like they were moss balls.

Jaypaw hesitated as he heard a strange sound. From deep within the clay, there seemed to be a sort of shifting. The exact sound was hard to place. He angled his ears forward and tried to focus. "Ashfoot, wait," he said. "I hear something."

Ashfoot paused. A heartbeat later, she sighed, seeming irritated. "I don't hear anything, Jaypaw." She swiped at the wall once more and continued to dig.

 _No, I know I hear something,_ he thought, frowning. _I've heard it before. But where?_

Then came an odd squelching noise, and Jaypaw stiffened completely. His fur began to stand on end. _That's it! When Antpaw was talking about the flood he was in, I heard that sound!_

"Ashfoot, stop!" Jaypaw cried.

Her paw struck the clay once more, and the ground began to creak. "Oh, StarClan—" Ashfoot took a step back. "Run!" she yowled. "Flood!"

As though on command, water spurted from where she had hit the clay. Ashfoot shoved Jaypaw back towards the tunnel. "Run, Jaypaw!"

The wall they had been digging gave way, and water exploded forth.

There was no time to think. Jaypaw took to his paws and ran. Ahead of him, he could hear the drumming of Willowclaw and Leafpaw's paws as they raced back up the tunnel. Jaypaw followed them as best he could, but the wet clay make it hard to run. His heart was beating out of his chest. Was Ashfoot even behind him? He couldn't chance pausing to check for her. The rushing water kept up with them, though Jaypaw had no clue how there could be so much of it.

"This way!" Willowclaw yowled, and her voice veered off sharply to the right.

Jaypaw had to skid to avoid running into a wall. He scrambled after his mentor and Leafpaw. From behind him, there was a rumbling as dirt and mud fell from the top of the tunnel. _It's caving in! The flood is destroying the tunnel!_

He felt a burst of air on his whiskers—but it was coming from another opening, a different route from where Willowclaw was leading them. Jaypaw halted and faced the new route. "No! Back this way!" He didn't wait to see if they obeyed—there was no time. Jaypaw began to run down the path he had found. The breeze grew stronger, and he relief flooded him. _Almost there!_

Jaypaw felt sunlight on his face, and for a moment, he thought he was out of trouble. He went on, eager to be free of the flood.

Then the ground underneath his paws disappeared, and Jaypaw was falling through the air.

Within a few heartbeats, he slammed against water, and then he was sinking. _The lake!_ Panic gripped him once more. Jaypaw snapped his jaws shut, but the desire to breath was already clawing at his lungs. He tried to orient himself underwater, but he had no idea how far under he had sank. _I'm going to drown!_

Two more crashes hit the water. Willowclaw and Leafpaw must have turned to follow him. _But what about Ashfoot?_

Jaypaw felt something grip him by the scruff, and with a sudden jerk, his head broke the surface of the water. He gasped for breath as he struggled to stay afloat.

"Great StarClan!" a strange voice exclaimed. "Hold still. We're here to help."

Jaypaw didn't have the energy to ask who the cat was, but he could tell from the sound of them swimming that there were a few of them. _They're not WindClan,_ he thought. _Are they RiverClan?_

The speaker pressed against him and began to direct him in the water. "Smooth, long strokes," the cat meowed. The voice seemed to belong to a tom. "Chin up. I'll steer you towards shore. Just don't sink again, alright?"

Jaypaw followed his instructions until he felt mud under his paws. He stood fully and waded out of the water. His muscles ached terribly—between digging and swimming, he was exhausted. He heard splashes as other cats stepped out of the lake. "Willowclaw?" he called.

"I'm here," his mentor panted. "Your way was certainly faster." Despite the strain of exhaustion in her voice, she sounded slightly amused.

There was a thud as Leafpaw collapsed on the shore. "I never want to swim again!"

Jaypaw's rescuer spoke again. "What were you all doing?" he asked. "We were just fishing when we saw you lot falling into the lake."

Willowclaw's reply was oddly quick. "We were chasing a rabbit," she said. "It went down a pretty wide hole, so we followed, and… well, you see what happened."

Jaypaw frowned. _Why is she lying?_

Leafpaw suddenly sat up. "Ashfoot!" he cried. "Where is she?"

Jaypaw started to feel sick. _Oh, StarClan, no…_ Had the deputy been lost in the flood? He swayed on his paws. T _his is my fault. I should have_ made _her stop digging._

"Steady there, son," the RiverClan tom meowed. "You can open your eyes now."

"Jaypaw's blind," Willowclaw sharply replied. "Leave him be."

"Oh," the tom meowed. He sounded only mildly surprised. "Well, then... I'm Beechfur."

"Otterheart," a second cat meowed. She had a much softer voice.

"I'm Pinefur," meowed another molly.

 _No comment about my blindness?_ Jaypaw thought. He almost felt pleased, but then he remembered Ashfoot, and his heart sank. _How are we supposed to go back and tell Onestar? She's his sister._

Willowclaw swallowed loudly. "Did anyone see Ashfoot? She was with us."

Beechfur shook his head. "There's just the three of you."

"Let us help you back to camp," Pinefur offered. "You took a pretty hard fall."

"Another set of eyes to find that deputy of yours couldn't hurt either," Pinefur meowed.

Willowclaw was quiet a moment before she nodded. "Alright. Thank you."

Beechfur's tail touched Jaypaw's shoulder. "Are you ready to travel?" he asked.

Jaypaw nodded silently. His throat was too tight to speak anymore. _I killed Ashfoot. It's my fault. I shouldn't even be an apprentice._

The bedraggled WindClan cats set off, the RiverClanners sticking close beside them. Beechfur allowed Jaypaw to lean on him as he walked. Normally Jaypaw would retch at the idea, but he every step was an effort and he knew he needed the help.

* * *

When they returned to camp, the first thing Jaypaw heard as he started limping down the slope was a distraught cry from Nightcloud.

"Jaypaw!" she wailed. "What in StarClan's name happened?" His mother rushed across camp and to his side. Jaypaw imagined he must look like a terrible mess—he could still feel clay clinging to his forepaws, and he hadn't even taken a moment to properly shake the water from his pelt. "My precious son!" Nightcloud cried, before she began to cover him in licks. Jaypaw could feel her sharp worry as she pulled him in close with a paw.

Jaypaw didn't protest. Instead, he leaned into his mother and buried his head in her chest fur. "Ashfoot," he mumbled. "She's gone."

Other cats were now surrounding the patrol.

"What's RiverClan doing here?" Tornear demanded.

"Why are you all soaked?" Dewspots asked, pressing herself against Willowclaw. "Did something happen?"

"Later," Willowclaw muttered.

Beechfur dipped his head to Tornear. "We'll be off," he meowed. "We just wanted to be sure they made it back safely. Apparently Ashfoot is missing."

A flurry of emotions erupted from the surrounding WindClan cats. They all seemed to know immediately the implications of a tunneler missing, especially when the returning party looked so terrible. Jaypaw's stomach swirled. _I could have said more. I knew we should have stopped digging._

The RiverClan cats were quick to leave. WindClan huddled around one another anxiously. When it seemed the outsiders were well away from camp, they began to flood Willowclaw with questions.

"Was there a flood?" Dewspots demanded. "What exactly happened to Ashfoot?"

Runningbrook brushed past Nightcloud. "Why was RiverClan with you?"

"Did the tunnel cave in?" Webfoot asked. "Where were you working?"

"For StarClan's sake!" Willowclaw snapped, before stepping away from all the cats pressing in around her. "Give me a moment to breathe."

Jaypaw pressed himself further into his mother as Willowclaw eventually began to rehash the whole thing. Willowclaw explained how they'd gone to work on a tunnel and had been digging through wet clay when the flood happened, and how RiverClan had helped them out of the lake when their escape route had led them off of a ledge. Nightcloud wrapped a paw around him protectively as she mentioned that they had yet to see Ashfoot.

"Where's Onestar?" Willowclaw asked, after she had finished the tale. "We… have to tell him."

"He's out training with Hollypaw," Weaselfur meowed. The tom sounded worried. "Should we go find him? Or send out a search party for Ashfoot?" His tone was doubtful—as a fellow tunneler, he knew the dangers of an underground flood.

"I don't know," Willowclaw sighed. "I don't know."

* * *

Hollypaw trotted alongside Onestar, head held high. A small rabbit swung from her jaws. She and Onestar had caught the young thing after checking the ThunderClan border. They were on their way back to camp now.

Onestar stopped quite suddenly. "I feel something," he muttered. "Hold on a moment."

Hollypaw halted and glanced up at the tom curiously. A heartbeat passed, and then she felt it herself—the slightest tremor in the earth under their paws. She dropped her catch and lifted a paw uncertainly. "What was that?"

Onestar's eyes widened, and his hackles began to rise. "It must be a cave-in!" he growled. "We need to find one of the tunnels, _now_."

Hollypaw stiffened. _Jaypaw_! she thought. What if he had been underground? "Where's the closest one?" she asked urgently.

Onestar glanced around. "I—I'm not entirely sure," he admitted. "Come on. Let's walk quickly and see if we find one."

Hollypaw's tail flicked about as her worry grew. _How can he not know? He's the Clan leader!_ She quietly grabbed her catch and followed as he hurried on ahead, still looking to and fro as he sought out sign of a tunnel entrance.

Their search was abruptly ended, however. Quite suddenly, Ashfoot exploded from behind a gorse bush, bristling like a hedgehog. The deputy was sopping wet and covered from head to toe in mud. Her eyes were wide with fright.

"Ashfoot!" Onestar cried. He raced the short distance to the molly and stopped just in front of her. "What happened?"

Ashfoot panted heavily. After a few moments, she lifted her head. "There was a flood," she rasped. "The tunnel started caving in… I got split up from the rest of the patrol…"

Onestar's ears flattened. "Who was with you?" he demanded.

"Leafpaw," Ashfoot gasped out. "Willowclaw… and Jaypaw."

Hollypaw's heart sank at the final name. _No!_ She let the rabbit fall to the ground once more. "Where is he?" she asked. "Where's my brother?" Her voice was straining more with every word.

Ashfoot glanced towards her. Her expression was hopeless. "I don't know," she whispered. "I lost them under there. I'm sorry."

 _No, no, no…_ Hollypaw's mouth went dry. Jaypaw had never been particularly affectionate towards her, but he was her _brother_. Bile rose in her throat.

"Did you _see_ them get buried?" Onestar asked. His tone was softer now. "Three cats lost at once… that should be an obvious thing."

Ashfoot shook her head. "I couldn't… I don't know where they went. They were ahead of me, but I had to run down a different way so I didn't get caught in the flood…" she clenched her eyes shut and shuddered. "I did this," she moaned. "Jaypaw warned me, and I didn't listen."

"None of that," Onestar snapped. He had quickly regained himself and was standing straight once more. "We will return to camp and send you to Barkface. Then I will have patrols scour the territory for them."

Ashfoot didn't look him or Hollypaw in the eye. She nodded and simply leaned against her brother. "Let's go home," she murmured.

Hollypaw was trembling. _Please, StarClan… let Jaypaw be okay._

* * *

Nightcloud had finished grooming Jaypaw, but she refused to leave his side. Jaypaw didn't mind—he needed his mother's comfort now more than ever. She sat to the side of camp, near a tangle of lavender, and Jaypaw remained curled up against her side, paws over his nose.

 _What's Onestar going to say?_ he wondered miserably. _He'll blame me, too. Maybe he'll just get rid of me._

His ear pricked at a loud mew from Tornear. "By StarClan, is that…"

There was a thud as Leafpaw jumped up. "Ashfoot!" he cried. Though he was halfway across camp, Jaypaw could feel strong relief washing over the other apprentice.

Jaypaw lifted his head. _It can't be,_ he thought. S _he was behind me the whole time. There's no way she…_

Hollypaw's wail startled him. "Jaypaw!" Paws thudded against the earth as she raced down the slope and across camp towards him and Jaypaw. "You're alive!"

He stiffened as Hollypaw pressed against him, purring. "We ran into Ashfoot and she said she lost you in the tunnel. I thought…"

"Ashfoot's _alive_?" Jaypaw asked. Though he knew from the overjoyed cries of his Clanmates, it was hard to believe. _I was sure she was…_ _I thought she died._

Nightcloud licked his ear. "She's okay," she murmured. "Covered in clay, but alive."

Jaypaw let out a breath. _I didn't kill her._

Then Ashfoot's voice called out to him. "Jaypaw?"

Jaypaw turned his head in her direction. "I'm sorry!" he blurted. "I should have stopped you. I knew something was wrong, but I—"

Ashfoot cut him off. "Stop." The molly padded towards him. She leaned forward and pressed her wet muzzle to his forehead for a few heartbeats before she pulled away. "It was my fault. I should have listened to you. Jaypaw, you sensed that flood before any of us." The deputy bowed her head. "I will never underestimate you again. I know you feel you've failed, but you did very well today." She stepped back before she turned and limped towards Onestar.

Jaypaw swallowed. _Ashfoot thinks I… did well?_ His guilt slowly began to melt away.

"I'm proud of you," Nightcloud purred. She seemed to have gotten over her fright as well. "You're going to be an incredible tunneler someday." There was a sharper note to her voice as she added, "And now they all will know it too."

"I'm just glad you're alive," Hollypaw meowed.

Jaypaw didn't turn towards her, but he nodded in the slightest. "Thanks."

"Come," Nightcloud meowed. "Let's get you something to eat. A meal and a rest will do you good."


	7. Chapter 6

**Phew! I'm finally back to chapters without formatting problems to fix. It should be pretty quick for me to upload the rest of the finished chapters and get back to work on new ones! Thanks for all your patience.**

* * *

Lionpaw woke slowly to the sounds of stirring in the den. He yawned before he blinked a few times and lifted his head.

"Morning," Hazelpaw meowed. The molly bent over to lick at her flank.

"G'Morning," Lionpaw mumbled, before he yawned once more. He glanced around for a moment to get his bearings. Berrypaw and Mousepaw were grooming each other nearby, while the nests of Cinderpaw, Honeypaw, and Poppypaw were already empty.

Spiderleg stuck his head in the den. "Up and at 'em," he meowed. "Battle training for all of you today."

Berrypaw lifted his chin. "Yes!" he meowed. He pulled himself away from his brother, tail lashing. "I'm ready."

Spiderleg jerked his chin as he turned away. "Then come along. Hurry up."

Berrypaw quickly padded past the other apprentices and left the den. Mousepaw stood up and headed after him. "Better come quickly," Mousepaw told Lionpaw. "Dustpelt and Spiderleg are grouches about apprentices taking their time."

Hazelpaw rolled her eyes. "We're coming. Don't get your tail in a twist."

Lionpaw was quick to push himself up to his paws. _I can't make a bad impression on my first day of battle practice!_ He was glad Sandstorm wouldn't be training with them today—he had already made her angry when he had talked back to her a few days ago after the fight with the fox. He took a moment to stretch out each limb before he trotted out of the den, Hazelpaw just behind him.

Brambleflower, Dustpelt, Spiderleg, and Brightheart were all waiting outside. Dustpelt and Brambleflower appeared to be deep in conversation, but both paused as Hazelpaw and Lionpaw stepped out.

"Finally!" Dustpelt grunted. "Let's get going."

 _We're not even going to eat first?_ Lionpaw frowned, but he didn't complain. He knew things would be different from when he was in the nursery, but… the thought of heading out to training immediately without food still wasn't exactly pleasing.

Spiderleg quickly headed for the camp exit, and the other cats began to follow. Rather than walk with his own apprentice, Brambleflower fell in beside Lionpaw as they walked. "Are you excited?" he asked. "It's your first training session."

Lionpaw lifted his chin and grinned. "Yeah!" He pushed the thought of food aside. _I'll be fine,_ he thought. _I have to get used to eating like an apprentice._ "I'll make you proud."

Brambleflower purred and flicked Lionpaw with his tail. "I know you will," he said. "But don't worry too much about being the best right away. It takes time to be a great warrior!"

Lionpaw puffed out his chest. _I don't need time!_ He thought. He was already naturally big and strong, and every cat knew it. _I'll show you I'm already tough as a warrior._

* * *

Hazelpaw and Mousepaw were sparring in the training hollow. Hazelpaw swiped at her brother's face, and he ducked and rolled away. Mousepaw jumped up to his paws and struck a blow against her flank. Hazelpaw staggered, but quickly retaliated by biting his tail.

Lionpaw was sitting beside Brightheart, just trying to take it all in. On occasion, Dustpelt and Spiderleg would shout encouragement to their apprentices, but the two mentors mostly watched and circled the fight.

Quite suddenly, the whole thing was over. Hazelpaw ducked a blow from Mousepaw, then used a paw to hook out one of his rear legs out from under him. Using her shoulder, she knocked him over entirely, and pinned him quickly.

Dustpelt lifted his chin. "Well done, Hazelpaw!" he praised. "That was a clever move."

Hazelpaw took a moment to shake the dust from her pelt before she smirked at her mentor. "Thanks!" she purred.

Brambleflower nodded to Brightheart. "How about we have Lionpaw and Berrypaw spar?"

Brightheart looked thoughtful. "I haven't taught him any moves yet," she said. "But it would be a good way to get an idea of where he's at."

Lionpaw straightened up. _Oh, yes!_ he thought, tail lashing eagerly. He glanced towards Berrypaw, who was grinning like he had already won. _This is my chance to prove myself._

Brightheart looked him over for a moment. "Alright. Step up, Lionpaw."

"Yes!" Lionpaw exclaimed, before he leaped to his paws and headed for the center of the clearing. "I'm ready!"

Brambleflower looked amused as he nodded to Berrypaw. The cream-furred tom tossed his head and stepped forward. He locked eyes with Lionpaw and arched his back.

"Remember, Lionpaw," Brightheart instructed. "Claws sheathed during training. Biting is fine, of course, but not too hard."

Lionpaw rolled his eyes. "I know, I know."

"You may begin whenever you're ready," Brambleflower meowed.

Lionpaw immediately charged for Berrypaw. He lashed out with a forepaw, but the older tom easily sidestepped. Lionpaw whirled around to try and bite his tail—but snapped only at air. _Fox-dung!_ He'd forgotten that Berrypaw had a stump for a tail.

"Hah!" Berrypaw just looked amused before he kicked back at Lionpaw. Lionpaw jerked his chin away in the nick of time, and Berrypaw instead caught Lionpaw on the shoulder.

Lionpaw stumbled clumsily, but didn't fall. With Berrypaw's haunches still within reach, Lionpaw growled and struck at one of Berrypaw's legs, as he had seen Hazelpaw did. Berrypaw's eyes went wide as his leg was knocked out from under him, and Lionpaw pounced forward to shove him to the ground. He slammed his paws on Berrypaw's side, and the cream tom wheezed.

However, Berrypaw didn't give up. With a loud grunt, he rolled to the side, throwing Lionpaw off his balance with him. Lionpaw fell, and the toms went rolling over together. Berrypaw came out on top, and he secured his position by holding his paws on Lionpaw's chest. "I win!" Berrypaw declared, smirking.

Lionpaw glared up at him. _No! I can still beat him._ He reached up and gripped Berrypaw's shoulders with his paws, and with a snarl, slammed his skull directly into Berrypaw's face. He hardly felt it, but the resounding _thunk_ brought a wave of satisfaction.

Berrypaw squealed and dropped like a stone. Lionpaw rolled over and pinned him quickly. He pressed a paw to Berrypaw's throat. "No, _I_ win!"

"Whoa!" Mousepaw exclaimed.

Berrypaw groaned and wriggled free of Lionpaw. He stood up and sniffed loudly. "My _nose_!" he whined. A drop of blood fell.

 _I must've got him right in the nose,_ Lionpaw thought, with a satisfied smirk. _Good._

"A little bruised nose never hurt anyone," Spiderleg grunted.

Brambleflower padded up to Berrypaw and sniffed at him. "I think you'll live," he meowed, sounding almost amused.

"That was awesome!" Hazelpaw purred. "I thought Berrypaw was going to win that one."

"Whatever!" Berrypaw growled, as he flinched away from Brambleflower. "I was going easy on him!"

Brightheart's stern mew cut in. "That was a pretty violent move, Lionpaw," she said. "That sort of thing doesn't belong in training. You could have hurt him badly."

 _What?_ Lionpaw glanced over his shoulder at his mentor. He narrowed his eyes. "I won, didn't I?" he retorted. "It's not like I seriously hurt him."

"My nose is _bleeding_!" Berrypaw hissed. His short tail flicked about in anger.

"Oh, you're fine," Hazelpaw meowed, with a roll of her eyes.

Brightheart looked serious. "It was a smart move," she relented. "But this is just training. We're here to _learn_ , not beat your fellow apprentices senseless."

Lionpaw scowled. _Brightheart's my mentor!_ he thought, beginning to feel furious. _She should be glad I won, not nitpicking how I did it!_

"They both did well," Brambleflower meowed. "But Lionpaw did win, and in his first sparring session. He should get to enjoy that."

Berrypaw glared at his mentor like he had betrayed him. Lionpaw smiled smugly. _That's right,_ he thought. _Brambleflower might be your mentor, but he's_ my _father!_

Brightheart flattened her ears. "We shouldn't be encouraging unnecessary violence," she argued. "He might as well have clawed Berrypaw across the face."

"So?" Dustpelt's casual meow surprised Lionpaw. "What, you want to encourage our apprentices to be delicate in training? Our enemies aren't going to keep their claws sheathed in battle and play nicely just because the apprentices are younger. Yes—claws should be sheathed, that's obvious." The senior warrior twitched his whiskers. "But his move was no different from Hazelpaw's in the sense that it brought them both victory." He shrugged. "Berrypaw has a bruised nose. He'll fight harder next time to keep that from happening."

Brightheart growled wordlessly. "Come, Lionpaw, you've had enough of battle training for today. We'll be hunting for the rest of the day."

It was Berrypaw's turn to look smug, though, with his swelling nose, it would have been comical had Lionpaw not been so furious.

"But I want to keep training!" Lionpaw argued. "Why can't you just be glad I did well?"

Brambleflower frowned. "Brightheart, be reasonable—"

"I am," she snapped. "Come. Now." She stood and flicked her tail impatiently.

Lionpaw glanced hopefully at Brambleflower. _Just tell her to stay!_ he thought. _You're deputy, you can tell her what to do!_

Brambleflower shook his head slightly. "Do as she says, Lionpaw."

Lionpaw's tail drooped. "Fine," he muttered. He turned and headed after Brightheart, who was already padding away from the clearing and into the forest. The thrill of victory had been dampened by his mentor's poor attitude.

* * *

Lionpaw padded into camp, a few paces ahead of Brightheart. He had caught nothing. His mind had been on the ordeal in battle training, and he was far too irritable to focus. Brightheart had barely spoken to him since they had left the training hollow.

"Hey, Lionpaw!"

Lionpaw blinked and pricked his ears. Honeypaw was staring at him, tail lifted in greeting. With her were Cinderpaw, Mousepaw, Hazelpaw, and Poppypaw—every apprentice other than Berrypaw. "Come over here!" Honeypaw called.

Lionpaw glanced back at Brightheart, and after her quick nod, he hurried across camp to join the others. "What's up?" he asked.

Honeypaw grinned and flicked him with her tail. "What's up?" she repeated. "I heard you beat Berrypaw in training like it was nothing!"

Cinderpaw smirked. "He won't be swaggering around like he's leader of ThunderClan for a while."

Mousepaw shook his head in disbelief. "Lionpaw, you've got to show me how you did that move. I think I would have just knocked myself out if I had done it!"

"Beaten by a new apprentice," Hazelpaw chuckled. "Lionpaw still has kit fluff behind his ears!"

Lionpaw puffed out his chest, and a warm feeling of pride came over him. "Yeah, it was pretty easy," he boasted. "I mean, he did pin me, but he was easy to beat even while stuck on the ground."

Poppypaw's eyes were wide. "How did you do it?" she asked. "Apparently it was _very_ controversial among the mentors."

"Pfft," Hazelpaw scoffed. "Brightheart was the only one that took issue. Everyone else thought it was awesome!"

Mousepaw shouldered her. "I don't think Berrypaw was a fan, either. He looked like a bee went up his nose!"

Lionpaw smirked. "He was so convinced he won," he meowed. "He looked as proud as a fox!"

Cinderpaw rolled her eyes. "When _doesn't_ he look like that?"

Lionpaw felt re-emboldened over his victory. _Who cares if Brightheart is an old stick-in-the-mud?_ He thought, with a pleased twitch of his whiskers. _Everyone_ else _likes me. Even Dustpelt thought I did great, and he's grumpier than a badger!_

"Ahem."

The apprentices all fell silent and turned to see Firestar standing nearby. The ginger tom was smiling—Lionpaw figured he hadn't overheard their conversation. "Glad to see you're all having a fine evening," the old tom chuckled. "Well, I won't interrupt for long. The gathering is tonight. Mousepaw, Lionpaw, Hazelpaw, and Poppypaw will be going. You can expect your mentors will come along as well, so be on your best behavior."

Lionpaw straightened up. _My first gathering!_ He had forgotten it was happening tonight. He kneaded his paws eagerly. _And Berrypaw won't be there to ruin things,_ he thought, with a small smirk.

"Thank you, Firestar!" Mousepaw purred.

Firestar dipped his head and began to pad away. "We'll depart once the sun is fully set," he meowed. "Be ready."

* * *

The moon was full and bright in the sky above, drowning out many of the stars of Silverpelt. Breezepaw glanced up at it as they walked. _What are the other Clans like?_ He wondered. _I guess RiverClan can't be awful if they helped Jaypaw and the others out of the lake, but it doesn't sound like there's anything good about ShadowClan or ThunderClan!_

Jaypaw walked briskly alongside him. Breezepaw glanced curiously at his brother. It was always hard to tell what Jaypaw was thinking—while Jaypaw, on the other hand, seemed to have no trouble sensing what was going on in the minds of other cats. He hadn't spoke much during their trek from camp towards the gathering place. In fact, he'd barely spoken since the ordeal with the cave-in a few sunrises ago.

Breezepaw frowned. _Does he regret becoming a tunneler?_ He wondered. He had been out of camp for the whole incident, but it sounded like a big deal. _They all could have died._ A little rush of anger came over him. _Then again, there wouldn't have_ been _a problem if Ashfoot had just listened to him in the first place!_

Jaypaw turned his head towards him quite suddenly, as though he had noticed Breezepaw's change in mood. "You okay?" he grunted.

"Fine," Breezepaw replied. "Just thinking."

Jaypaw hummed his acknowledgement. They were to the rear of the group—while Hollypaw, of course, was up at the front with Onestar. Breezepaw's pelt pricked with even more irritation at _that_ thought. _She never deigns to spend any time around us,_ he thought. _All she does is whine about the warrior code._

The island grew closer. Soon, they had reached the fallen tree that spanned the water to it. The bridge had been struck down by StarClan to kill a traitor to WindClan and give the Clans a meeting place—or so the elders said. The rebellion of Mudclaw was a touchy subject among everyone, even the younger cats, but Breezepaw couldn't help but feel curious about it as he studied the massive trunk.

 _I wonder what Mudclaw was like,_ he thought. _He must have been popular if he had enough supporters to start an internal war._ Though, as he fixed his gaze on Heatherpaw a few paces ahead, he felt a wave of guilt. _Her parents died in that battle,_ he thought. _I guess it doesn't matter if he was liked or not. What side did they fight for?_

"Come on!" Onestar called. The leader jumped up onto the log and began to cross. "I don't want to be hanging about when ThunderClan arrives."

One by one, the WindClan cats crossed the fallen log. It was less slippery than Breezepaw had expected, and it was no time at all before he and Jaypaw reached the shore of the island. He tasted the air as he jumped off. RiverClan's scent was familiar, but the other was unknown to him. _Must be ShadowClan,_ he thought. They didn't share a border with that Clan, so it only made sense that the strange scent would belong to them.

There were a large number of cats already, even with only two Clans being present. Breezepaw paused and looked around, trying to take it all in.

"You're holding us up, Breezepaw!" Dewspots meowed.

"Sorry," Breezepaw muttered, before he followed Jaypaw a few paces away from the log.

Nightcloud was quick to join them. "How about I introduce you to a few cats?" she meowed.

Jaypaw twitched his tail. "You have friends in other Clans?" he asked.

Nightcloud shrugged. "I wouldn't call them _friends_. It's never good to be too close with enemy Clans. But we get along with ShadowClan better than we did in the past, since we don't share a border with them, and RiverClan cats are pretty easygoing." A sharpness edged her mew as she added, "It's ThunderClan you'll want to avoid. They think they own the entire lake!"

Breezepaw had heard all too many times about how often ThunderClan liked to involve themselves in the matters of other Clans. _I wonder if they're as bad as everyone says,_ he thought.

"Ah, Nightcloud!" a cat called. Breezepaw glanced towards the source of the sound—it was a sleek-furred gray tom. "It's been some time since I've seen you at a gathering!"

"Hello, Stonestream," Nightcloud meowed. She glanced at Breezepaw and Jaypaw. "Come on. He has an apprentice you can meet." She led them the short distance to the tom and dipped her head to him. "I was in the nursery, but my kits are finally apprentices." She flicked her tail towards them. "This is Jaypaw and Breezepaw."

"That's wonderful news," Stonestream purred. He nudged a smaller tom beside him. "My apprentice, Mintpaw."

"Hello," Mintpaw said, sounding entirely disinterested.

Breezepaw wrinkled his nose. _RiverClan cats smell so much worse up close!_ He thought. The stench of dead fish clung to both Stonestream and Mintpaw.

Mintpaw scowled. "Something wrong?"

Nightcloud glanced at him, and frowned as she noticed the expression on his face. "Breezepaw, be polite!" she chided.

"What?" Breezepaw grumbled. "I didn't _say_ anything."

Stonestream looked amused. "He takes after Crowfeather, I see."

 _That_ caused Breezepaw to bristle. "I'm not like him!" he retorted.

Jaypaw grunted in agreement.

Stonestream looked surprised. "Oh, I meant no harm," he said. "Crowfeather's a fine warrior. After all, helped bring the Clans to the lake." He tipped his head to the side, looking curious.

Breezepaw rolled his eyes. _How could I forget?_ he thought, bitterly. _Crowfeather can do no wrong!_ "I'm going to go find Heatherpaw," he grumbled. "Coming, Jaypaw?"

"Yeah," Jaypaw meowed. His voice was edged with annoyance.

Nightcloud looked bothered, but she didn't order them to stay. "Alright," she muttered. "I'll see you later."

Breezepaw turned away and scanned the island for Heatherpaw. Jaypaw brushed against him. His brother's ears pricked. "I hear more cats coming."

Breezepaw glanced towards the fallen tree. Sure enough, another Clan was heading across, led by a flame-colored cat. _Must be ThunderClan,_ he thought. _Is that Firestar in the front?_ Apparently he and Onestar had been friends in their youth… but from the sound of it, it hadn't lasted.

He watched as ThunderClan left the bridge and began to split up into the crowd. "Come on," Breezepaw meowed. "Let's go find Heatherpaw before ThunderClan take all the good spots to sit."

"With our luck, she'll have befriended them all by the time we find her," Jaypaw muttered.

 _He's in a bad mood tonight,_ Breezepaw thought. _But I guess I'm not feeling all that friendly, either._

It took some time to find her. They'd ran into two other mollies with the same colored fur before Jaypaw finally scented her and led Breezepaw the rest of the way.

Heatherpaw spotted them and waved her tail to signal to them. She was sitting beside a bulky golden-furred tom. She glanced back at him and meowed something before she called, "Breezepaw, Jaypaw! Come here!"

"We're coming!" Jaypaw replied. He started to walk faster, Breezepaw just a step behind.

"I was wondering where you lot got off to," Heatherpaw meowed as they joined her. She nodded towards the tom she was sitting with. "This is Lionpaw."

Lionpaw lifted his chin. "I'm from _ThunderClan,_ " he meowed, as though it were some great honor of his.

 _Great,_ Breezepaw thought. _We couldn't just sit with Heatherpaw by ourselves._ "Hello," he grumbled.

Heatherpaw just looked amused. "He's not always this grumpy," she informed Lionpaw.

Jaypaw leaned in and sniffed at Lionpaw silently. Lionpaw wrinkled his nose and leaned back. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Just seeing what you smell like," Jaypaw retorted. He flicked his tail in annoyance.

Lionpaw narrowed his eyes as he stared at Jaypaw. "Wait…"

 _Oh, here we go,_ Breezepaw thought, beginning to bristle. _I swear, I'll claw him if he says something stupid! I don't care about a rabbit-brained truce._

"Can you _see_?" Lionpaw asked, wide-eyed.

Heatherpaw frowned. She clearly wasn't amused by his tone, either.

Jaypaw flattened his ears. "No," he growled. "Have a problem?"

Lionpaw ruffled his pelt. "No," he replied. "I was just _asking_." He gave his chest an embarrassed lick before he glanced at Heatherpaw. "Anyway… I was just telling Heatherpaw about how I beat Berrypaw in training today."

Heatherpaw relaxed and twitched her whiskers in amusement. "From what I've heard, Berrypaw's a pretty good fighter."

Lionpaw stuck up his nose and smirked. "Not as good as me!"

"StarClan's sake…" Jaypaw muttered.

Lionpaw seemed not to notice, for he carried on in his boasting. "He thought he'd beaten me, too. Had me pinned and everything."

Heatherpaw lifted a brow. "How did you beat him?"

 _Why does she care?_ Breezepaw thought. He narrowed his eyes. He wished he could retort that Jaypaw had survived a flood and that one training match hardly meant a thing, but Whitetail had told him in no uncertain terms that tunneling was not to be discussed. _Why do we have to keep it a secret?_ He wondered, with a lash of his tail. _The other Clans should know how strong we are!_

Lionpaw leaned back on his haunches and lifted his forepaws in the air. "Well, I grabbed him around the shoulders like this—"

Breezepaw was saved from hearing the rest of Lionpaw's story as a loud yowl came from behind him. Lionpaw fell silent and gazed up. "The leaders are gathered!" he whispered.

Heatherpaw continued to gaze at Lionpaw. Breezepaw stiffened. _Oh, no—she actually likes him!_ Quickly, he meowed. "Come on, let's go find somewhere to sit with Harepaw. We should sit with our Clanmates."

Heatherpaw glanced at him and snorted. "I'm sitting already. You and Jaypaw can sit, too. The gatherings are a time to socialize! WindClan will survive without us for the length of the meeting."

Breezepaw scowled. "But—"

Heatherpaw flicked him with her tail. "Lighten up!" she purred. "Lionpaw doesn't mind if you stay, right?"

"Right," Lionpaw said, though his displeased expression told a different story.

Jaypaw sat down and wrapped his tail around his paws. "Well, _I'm_ not going to hold up the meeting by wandering around."

Breezepaw's pelt burned with frustration, but he sat beside Heatherpaw, with a pointed glare at Lionpaw. _Whatever,_ he thought. _At least I'm with Heatherpaw. So long as that fox keeps his paws off of her, it'll be fine!_

Onestar lifted his chin as he began to address the Clans. "I will start the gathering," he meowed. "Welcome." Beside him was the ginger tom Breezepaw had noticed earlier. A spotted molly was crouched at the very end of the branch, and a massive white tom sat on Onestar's other side. _Leopardstar and Blackstar,_ Breezepaw guessed.

"The past moon has been kind to WindClan," Onestar said. "Nightcloud's kits have been apprenticed. Breezepaw, Jaypaw, and Hollypaw have all begun their training."

Breezepaw lifted his chin. His irritation gave way for a moment to allow for a flush of pride. Jaypaw pricked his ears. A few cats turned to stare at them, and a pawful called out their congratulations.

"The start of new-leaf has brought plentiful prey to WindClan," Onestar went on. "The rabbits are running fast, but of course, never too fast for us." There were a few pleased purrs from WindClan cats at this. "We've had no trouble from buzzards in some time. Otherwise, we have nothing to report." He glanced at Blackstar and inclined his head.

The massive tom blinked gratefully at Onestar before addressing the gathered cats. "ShadowClan also has a new apprentice," he announced, as he nodded towards a young gray tabby. "Ivypaw." He lifted his gaze. "Hunting has been good for us ever since we extended our territory."

Breezepaw noticed Lionpaw stiffen at that. A few ThunderClan cats gasped. Heatherpaw leaned closer to Breezepaw and whispered, "Firestar gave him that strip of land. I'm sure ThunderClan doesn't like to hear they've made good use of that!"

Breezepaw smirked. _Good._

"Our new stretch of territory has been rich in prey," Blackstar meowed. "We've had full bellies because of it."

One dark tom muttered, "Firestar never would have handed it over if it was full of prey!"

Finally, Blackstar eyed Firestar. "ShadowClan thanks Firestar for his generosity in granting it to us."

Firestar stared back, eyes narrowed in the slightest. It was easy to tell the two leaders had no love between them. "I am glad to hear you have gotten so much use out of a barren strip of land," he replied. He looked away and shifted his paws. "ThunderClan also has a new apprentice—Lionpaw."

Lionpaw straightened up and grinned. Breezepaw resisted the urge to groan. _This cat thinks he's StarClan's gift to the lake!_

"We were lucky to only deal with frost this past moon, and no snow," Firestar meowed. "Prey ran well enough, but we are glad to welcome the change of new-leaf. Other than that, we…" The tom paused and sniffed the air.

Breezepaw's whiskers twitched. Jaypaw shifted. "Someone else is here," Jaypaw growled. "It doesn't smell like any Clan."

Breezepaw tasted the air. _Who_ is _that?_

Near the fallen tree, there was a stirring among the ferns. Breezepaw stood up and stared at it. One RiverClan cat stood and yowled, "Someone's coming!"

"Intruders!" another cat yelled.

Willowclaw and Dewspots were nearest to the source. They sprang forward, each hissing, and threw themselves on the trespassers. A ShadowClan cat leaped to their aid. The strangers were wrestled to the ground, but they were yowling furiously as well.

Breezepaw bristled. Should he run to help? It was impossible to tell how many cats there were.

Suddenly, Firestar let out a yowl. "Stop!" he cried.

The three cats drew back, but each stared warily at the strangers. Breezepaw saw them clearly now—two gray tabbies, one large tom, and one sleek molly.

Firestar's eyes were wide. "Graystripe!"

* * *

When the cats had finally settled down and smoothed their pelts, Firestar raced across the island to greet the newcomers. "Graystripe!" he purred. "I thought I would never see you again!"

Lionpaw jumped up to his paws. "Graystripe?" he echoed. "Everyone said he was dead!" _How did he even make it here?_

Jaypaw looked confused. "Who's Graystripe?"

Lionpaw stared at the lost warrior. The former ThunderClan deputy seemed to be in a sorry state—his thick pelt was matted, and it did little to conceal how skinny he had become. His muzzle was scratched and missing many whiskers, and his ears were shredded. From the stories he had heard, Lionpaw had always imagined Graystripe to be some kind of mighty warrior… but he looked more like a weary elder than anything else.

"Hello?" Jaypaw meowed. "Who is that?"

"He was our old deputy!" Lionpaw finally replied. "Before we came to the lake. But he was captured by twolegs before the Clans left."

Firestar purred and pressed his muzzle to Graystripe's. "How did you find us?"

Graystripe's companion trembled beside him. She was both bony and round-bellied. The molly lifted a paw defensively. _She must be a queen,_ Lionpaw thought. _She's so skinny, but her belly sure isn't._

Graystripe rested his tail on her side. "Easy now, Millie," he meowed. "This is Firestar."

Firestar's eyes shown with emotion. "I thought the twolegs killed you," he said. "Thank StarClan you're safe."

Other ThunderClan cats began to cheer.

"Graystripe is back!"

"He found us!"

"How in StarClan's name did he survive?"

And then, "What about Brambleflower?"

Lionpaw stiffened. _What_ about _Brambleflower?_ He wondered. Would his father lose his position as deputy now that Graystripe had returned? That thought gave Lionpaw an uneasy feeling.

ThunderClan cats were abandoning their spots to move closer and crowd around him. Younger cats hung back, uncertain, but the senior warriors like Dustpelt and Sandstorm pressed around him, purring in relief.

Squirrelflight sniffed at the strange molly. "Who's this?"

Graystripe pressed against her. "This is Millie," he replied, lifting his chin. "We met in the twolegplace I was brought to."

Ashfur frowned. "You brought a _kittypet_?"

Millie stared at him levelly. Her fear seemed to be fading. "I'm not a house cat anymore," she said firmly.

Graystripe nodded. "I never would have survived without her. And… we're mates. She's carrying my kits."

Firestar held her gaze for a heartbeat before he bowed his head to her. "I'm glad to meet you."

Onestar was the next leader to approach. He seemed strangely pleased to see Graystripe. "It's good to see you again, old friend," he purred.

 _That's right!_ Lionpaw thought. _Graystripe and Firestar brought WindClan back when they missing ages ago. It doesn't sound like Onestar likes Firestar anymore… but I guess Graystripe hasn't been around in seasons and he wouldn't have any reason to not to want to see him._

As though Onestar's approach had been an invitation, cats of all Clans began to swarm around Graystripe, greeting him as though he were an old friend.

"Welcome back, Graystripe!" purred a RiverClan molly.

"StarClan must have been watching over you!"

"I can't believe he found us!"

Graystripe was lost among a sea of pelts. Lionpaw could have imagined there was only Clan around him rather than four.

Breezepaw sniffed. "Why's everyone making such a big deal out of him?" he muttered. "He's _ThunderClan_."

"How did you know we were here?" One sleek-furred molly called.

"Mistyfoot!" Graystripe purred. "Good to see you again. Millie and I came across a rogue that told us about some 'savage wildcats' that lived down here, and then we saw cats crossing onto the island from up on a hill."

"Then we just followed the freshest scents," Millie explained. "It was easy to work out where you all were."

Lionpaw heard a hiss of disgust from the leader's tree. Blackstar was glaring with open disdain at Millie. The gray molly glared back at him.

Leopardstar looked displeased herself, but she gave Blackstar a sharp look. "Let's not forget the truce." Her voice was edged with irritation, but it didn't seem directed at Blackstar.

 _Does Leopardstar not like Graystripe?_ Lionpaw wondered. _From the way everyone's acting, all the cats in the Clans love him!_

"The Gathering is for _warriors_ ," Blackstar spat. His fur bristled along his spine.

A few cats began to mutter dubiously. Webfoot flattened his ears as he loudly asked, "Is ThunderClan letting _another_ kittypet into its ranks?"

Graystripe bristled. "I trained Millie as a warrior!" he declared. "She saved my hide countless times on our journey here. Were she not a queen, she could fight any of you!"

Millie nodded, her eyes narrowed in the slightest. "I can hunt and fight as well as Graystripe," she said, a hard edge to her voice.

 _Well,_ Lionpaw thought. _She doesn't sound like Daisy._ He loved Daisy, but she had the sort of softness that was often assumed of kittypets. Millie, however, seemed far from soft.

Graystripe suddenly coughed, and Lionpaw noticed that he was quivering with exhaustion. Firestar's eyes rounded with worry. "Let's bring you back to camp," he meowed. "The others will be glad to see you, and you two need to get into a nest."

Graystripe nodded briefly, but he glanced at Millie for a moment. "Can you travel a little farther?" he asked.

"I'll keep going as long as you need me to," Millie replied.

Firestar glanced back towards the tree. "Was there any other news that needed to be shared?" he asked.

"Nothing of importance," Leopardstar replied. Blackstar shook his head, though his lips were drawn back with obvious anger.

"Go home," Onestar said. His words weren't said with aggression. "The gathering can end."

Lionpaw noticed Breezepaw lift his chin. "So does ThunderClan have _two_ deputies now?" he called boldly. Lionpaw glared at him.

Sandstorm muttered something to Firestar, who nodded. "Come, ThunderClan!" he called. He seemed fine with ignoring Breezepaw's question. "Quickly now."

Lionpaw stood up. "Bye, Heatherpaw," he meowed.

"It was nice to meet you," she purred.

Lionpaw hung back a moment longer to hold her gaze. She was a beautiful young cat—and she had chosen to sit with _him_.

He shook his head in the slightest and pulled himself away. _Stop thinking like that!_ He told himself. _She's from WindClan, and that Breezepaw would probably try to shred me if I even thought about it._ Lionpaw sniffed softly as he padded away. _Not that he could!_

Brambleflower was at Firestar's side. "Shall I lead the way?" he asked.

"Lead on," Firestar meowed. "I'll walk with Graystripe." He gazed fondly at his old friend. "We have much to catch up on. Stormfur will be so pleased to see you! All of our Clanmates will be."

"Stormfur?" Graystripe asked, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Firestar pressed himself against Graystripe and allowed the weary tom to lean on him. "Ah... one of the many things to catch up on."

Sandstorm brushed her tail against Millie's side. "You can stick with me," she meowed. "I'd love to meet this old ruffian's mate."

Lionpaw joined Hazelpaw and Mousepaw as the Clan began to head for the fallen tree. Hazelpaw was staring at Graystripe with open admiration. "I can't believe he's really _here_!" she breathed. "Graystripe's a _legend_."

Lionpaw nodded absently, but worry began to nag at him. It was amazing to see that a cat like Graystripe was still alive, but… _What happens now?_ He sought out his father's tabby pelt at the head of the Clan. _Is he going to demote Brambleflower?_

Mousepaw voiced Lionpaw's concerns. "Is he going to be deputy now?" the gray tom mewed. "Graystripe, I mean."

"I don't know," Lionpaw replied. He glanced towards Graystripe and Firestar. The former had to lean against Firestar as they walked. "I thought he would be this super strong warrior… but he looks like a leaf might knock him over."

Hazelpaw snorted. "He just traveled from StarClan-knows-where to find us!" she retorted. "And they didn't have a Clan to support them. I bet he'll be fearsome once he's rested and got some meat back on his bones."

Lionpaw felt doubtful. _He looks so… old._

Mousepaw chimed in once more. "Brambleflower's been a fine deputy," he said. "Why change anything?"

Lionpaw nodded. All around him, his Clanmates were whispering to one another. Clearly, the uncertainty was shared by all—no one seemed to know what was going to happen in ThunderClan now that Graystripe had returned.


	8. Chapter 7

Lionpaw's paws dragged on the ground as he plodded into camp. It was well past moon-high, but there was no sign of dawn quite yet. He was ready to collapse into his nest and sleep, but he knew it would be a bit longer before the camp calmed down enough for any rest.

Though it was clear some cats were still concerned over the issue of deputyship, the whispers began to sound excited as the Clan returned home. Everyone was glad to have Graystripe back, even if it did leave them in a perplexing situation.

Cinderpaw came racing up to greet the returning party. "How was the Gathering?" she asked.

Firestar halted. "You should be in your nest," he meowed. "You'll be too tired for training tomorrow."

"Sorry," Cinderpaw replied, though she hardly looked ashamed. "We've all just been wondering how the gathering was."

Graystripe looked amused. "I can still remember the times _we_ stayed up as apprentices, Firestar," he purred.

Cinderpaw finally noticed him. "Who's this?" she asked, leaning forward to sniff him.

"I'm Graystripe," the tabby tom meowed.

"Graystripe!" Cinderpaw exclaimed. For a heartbeat, her jaw went slack. "Oh! Oh, I have to go get Cloudtail!" She spun around on her paws and raced for the warriors den. "Cloudtail! Cloudtail!" she yowled.

Moments later, the fluffy white warrior came stumbling out. "Fox-dung, Cinderpaw, you're waking up the whole den!"

" _Look_ , Cloudtail!" Cinderpaw demanded, with an excited lash of her tail.

Cloudtail blinked a few times before he spotted Graystripe. "G-Graystripe?" he stuttered.

Brackenfur padded out of the den. "What?" he meowed. And then, his eyes widened with joy. "Graystripe!" he gasped. "Oh, StarClan, I never thought I would see you again!"

More cats started to creep out from the warriors den. Stormfur was the next to see him. "It's really you!" he meowed, before he charged across camp to greet his father. "Firestar always said you would find us again!"

"Stormfur!" Graystripe purred. "I never thought I would see you in ThunderClan, of all places. Firestar says you're living here now?"

"That's hardly important!" Stormfur huffed, before he butted his head against Graystripe's shoulder. "You're _alive_!"

Lionpaw watched as his Clanmates crowded around Graystripe once more. Those who had not yet seen him pressed against him, and the camp thundered with loud purrs.

Finally, Sandstorm stepped in and ushered them away. "Graystripe and Millie are exhausted," she meowed. "They can share their story tomorrow. For now, I want them in a nest and resting."

"Millie?" Mousefur echoed. "Who?"

Millie found her way to Graystripe's side once more. Graystripe met Mousefur's gaze. "She's my mate," he meowed. "She helped me to survive the journey here."

Lionpaw's whiskers twitched curiously. Mousefur was a crotchety old elder—what would she have to say about _that_?

Mousefur's eyes narrowed for a heartbeat before she huffed and rolled her eyes. "Still breaking the rules, I see."

Lionpaw felt a tail on his shoulder, and glanced over to see Brightheart standing beside him. "You should go to your den," she murmured. "I think things will be winding down soon, and you've got training in the morning."

Lionpaw looked back at Graystripe for a moment before he dipped his head. He still wanted desperately to know what exactly was going to happen with Brambleflower and Graystripe, but he was far too tired to stay up a moment longer. _I doubt Firestar is going to start making any decisions in the middle of the night,_ he told himself. "G'night," he mumbled, before he found his way through his Clanmates and towards the apprentices den.

* * *

Hollypaw awoke early the morning after the gathering. She was surprised to find that she wasn't all that tired, despite having been up late the night before. She lifted her head and yawned before she stretched out her forepaws. Heatherpaw was just behind her, while Breezepaw and Jaypaw were curled up together to her side. Past them were the rest of the apprentices—all soundly asleep.

Hollypaw sat up slowly and gazed around camp. It seemed _everyone_ was still sleeping. The only cat not passed out was Owlwhisker, who was on sentry duty. She watched as the young warrior slowly padded around the perimeter of the camp, pausing every so often to yawn and shake himself a little.

 _Maybe I should go out and hunt for a bit,_ she thought. _But I don't know if I can… I guess I could ask Owlwhisker._ She stood up and carefully stepped over her sleeping Clanmates as she approached him. Owlwhisker spotted her quickly and beckoned her closer with his tail.

When she was closer to him, he quietly asked, "What's up? Can't sleep?"

Hollypaw shook her head. "I wanted to know if I could go hunting," she meowed, keeping her voice low. "I'd ask Onestar, but it's so early, and I don't want to disturb anyone…"

Owlwhisker shrugged. "Sure, why not? I doubt Onestar will mind. Just don't be out all day. I'm sure he'll want to do some training with you."

Hollypaw smiled gratefully and nodded. She hurried towards the camp exit and padded up the slope. _My first time out alone!_ She thought, feeling a little rush of excitement. _I have the whole territory to myself._

* * *

"Get up!" Honeypaw meowed. "Dawn patrol."

Lionpaw groaned. _For the love of StarClan, why do I have to be on the dawn patrol?_ He flattened his ears and opened one eye to stare up at her. "Seriously?" he grumbled.

Honeypaw's eyes narrowed. "Yes, seriously! The sooner we finish it the sooner we'll both be back in our nests."

 _You didn't go to the Gathering last night!_ Lionpaw thought, feeling indignant. Was Brightheart still trying to punish him for whatever issue she had had with his fighting? Or, worse—was Brambleflower mixing things up and forgot about which cats had been up? That thought worried him. _If Graystripe could be deputy again, he can't go around making mistakes!_

Lionpaw rolled over and followed Honeypaw out of the den, trying to blink away his sleepiness. He was hardly feeling up for a patrol, but for StarClan's sake, if he had to, he was going to show Brightheart that nothing was too difficult for him.

By the looks of it, neither Sandstorm nor Brightheart seemed exactly pleased to be patrolling. Both mollies looked tired, Sandstorm in particular. _She must have been up late to help Graystripe and Millie settle in,_ Lionpaw thought. _Why_ are _we all patrolling?_ He didn't dare ask, though.

Sandstorm blinked as the apprentices approached. "Ready?" she meowed. "Good. Let's go. I want to finish this quickly."

"Where are we patrolling?" Lionpaw asked, before he yawned loudly.

Brightheart answered for her. "We'll head to the lake first, then go towards WindClan. Cover about half the territory. Another patrol will check the area near ShadowClan."

Lionpaw nearly groaned again, but he contained himself. _So much more walking!_ His paws were still sore from last night. He steeled himself and nodded. _I have to get used to it,_ he told himself. _I'm going to be the strongest warrior in ThunderClan! I can't whine about every patrol… even if they are completely mouse-brained ones._

Sandstorm rose and headed for the exit first. Brightheart was quick to follow. Honeypaw and Lionpaw padded along behind them.

The forest was quiet. It was too early for even the birds, it seemed, for they were silent. Lionpaw tasted the air occasionally for prey, but he caught no distinctive trails. Honeypaw, however, seemed content to just walk along without searching the air.

The patrol stopped briefly at the lakeside. They each took a drink and rested for a while before Sandstorm decided it was time to move on, and they headed back up the slope and into the woods.

Brightheart finally brought up what every cat had been thinking. "So," she meowed. "What happens now that Graystripe has returned?"

Sandstorm frowned. "What do you mean?"

Lionpaw blinked. _Surely she isn't oblivious? Everyone wants to know if he's replacing Brambleflower or not!_

"She means the state of deputyship, of course!" Honeypaw piped up. "Is Brambleflower still deputy or not?"

"Brambleflower is still deputy," Sandstorm sighed. "I don't know if that will change or not. Graystripe is not exactly a young cat anymore… not that I am either. However, he did not die and never retired, so…" she shrugged. "There isn't a clear answer from the warrior code. It's ultimately up to Firestar."

Brightheart narrowed her eye curiously. "You don't know anymore than that?"

Sandstorm sniffed. "I'm Firestar's mate, yes, but I don't know his every thought!" she retorted. She looked as though she were about to say something else, but she quite suddenly halted and sniffed once more. "Hold on. I smell something."

They all stopped walking. Lionpaw tasted the air. _Wait. I know that scent._ His pelt began to bristle.

Then he heard that familiar, startling scream. A fox burst out from the undergrowth, jaws parted as it shrieked and wailed. Its bushy tail lashed furiously, and its lips were drawn back.

"It came back!" Brightheart gasped. She snarled and leaped for it.

Lionpaw was about to run to help her, but a second fox stepped forward and let out a shriek. It threw itself on Honeypaw. This one was smaller, but it screamed as wildly as the adult. Lionpaw whipped his head around, uncertain of what to do.

He swalled as _two_ more young foxes appeared. _Four of them?_ He thought. _This is madness!_

"Don't just stand there!" Sandstorm yowled. "Fight!" She lashed out at one of the young foxes, who recoiled.

Lionpaw hesitated as the adult separated itself from Brightheart. The fox must have been the mother of the kits—he caught a whiff of milk-scent coming from her, and it only made sense as to why her three young companions were following her. She was skinnier than the last time he had seen her.

He felt teeth in his tail and winced. Lionpaw whirled around to face the fox kit that was biting his tail. It snarled as it bit down. Lionpaw drew back his lips and dealt it a savage blog to the face. The kit yipped and rolled over as it fell down. That was all it took for it to flee.

Lionpaw turned to his mentor once more, and his eyes went wide as he realized the fox was now on top of her and snapping desperately at her throat. Sandstorm and Honeypaw were both dealing with their own fox—neither seemed to notice Brightheart's prediciment. Though she was managing to hold the fox _just_ enough away from her throat, she couldn't throw her off.

Hot fury overcame Lionpaw. Regardless of their disagreement the day before, Brightheart was his mentor and Clanmate! He leaped forward. "GET OFF OF HER!" He roared, as he slammed into the fox and knocked her away. The fox screamed once more and tried to bite down on Lionpaw's leg. He ripped his leg free effortlessly and slashed at the fox's side. He surged forward and bit into her shoulder. Then he tasted blood.

A red haze began to cloud his vision. A deep snarl erupted from him, and he ripped out a chunk of fur as he wrenched his head back. The fox shrieked, but the sound hardly impacted him. Lionpaw struck her with his paw, then struck her again. His claws sliced through flesh again and again. He felt himself sink his jaws into the fox once more, and this time, he held on for good. Lionpaw growled fiercely as he bit down as hard as he could.

Some noise made his ear twitch. Then it came once more. "Lionpaw! Lionpaw!"

Slowly, Lionpaw blinked, and he snapped back into focus.

Brightheart called again, "Lionpaw, stop! It's over!"

Lionpaw looked down. He had bit the fox right in the throat, and he was still holding her limp form by it. Hot blood coated his tongue and his chest. He dropped the fox's neck and stumbled back.

"He…" Honeypaw sounded shocked. "He killed it!"

"Great StarClan…" Sandstorm whispered. "I've never seen any cat kill a fully grown fox, let alone as an _apprentice_!"

Lionpaw stared numbly at the limp fox. She was riddled with scratches from where he had struck her, and tufts of her fur were scattered around the ground. With a glance at his bloody paws, he realized he had fur stuck between his claws. _I… killed it._

"How did you _do_ that?" Honeypaw demanded. She padded towards him and stared down at the fox. "I heard you beat Berrypaw, but I didn't realize you were _that_ strong!"

Lionpaw turned back to look at Brightheart. Her eye was wide open. "Lionpaw…" she whispered. "I don't know what to say."

Sandstorm cut in quickly. "We need to report this to Firestar," she said. "There's now fox cubs wandering the territory. They'll need to be killed or chased off as well."

"Why do you think they attacked us?" Honeypaw asked. "They were at an obvious disadvantage."

Sandstorm's tail twitched. "They were clearly starving," she remarked. "And their den may have been near here." She shook her head. "Come on. I think we all got some kind of bite or scratch from them. We'll need to see Leafpool quickly."

Lionpaw checked himself over. Though his thick pelt was ruffled, he couldn't find a single mark on him. _Come to think of it… I don't_ feel _hurt. I thought the fox bit me… but maybe it didn't?_ He shook his head. _It's all kind of hazy after I attacked it… I must have imagined things._

Brightheart was quick to turn and head in the direction of camp. Lionpaw frowned as he watched her. _I saved her!_ He thought, with a little rush of anger. _She barely said two words to me, and I sure didn't hear a "Thank you, Lionpaw!"_

He pushed the thought aside as he followed them. Honeypaw was staring at him in amazement. "I can't believe you actually killed a fox," she breathed. "That's incredible!"

Lionpaw didn't say anything. He glanced over his shoulder at the dead fox. He had a nagging feeling of unease, but he quickly shoved it down. _I'm just annoyed about Brightheart,_ he thought. _Why has she been such a pain? I don't understand it!_ He scowled and flattened his ears. _I thought Brightheart would be a great mentor, but I think she hates me!_

* * *

Hollypaw's morning seemed to be full of good luck. First, she'd wandered across a grouse with an injured wing, and it had been unable to escape her claws. She'd gone to hide it under a clump of heather, where she's discovered the eggs of some bird. She didn't know whether they were the eggs of the grouse she had caught, but she ate one and planned to come back later to try and bring the others back to camp. She'd even managed to catch a mouse. Hollypaw was in high spirits, and she didn't think anything would bring her down today.

 _It's a beautiful day,_ she thought to herself. All across the moor, the plants were flowering, and the land was rich in prey. The sun warmed her pelt as she padded along. She was nearing the strip of forest by the border stream. Hollypaw twitched her whiskers curiously as she continued towards it. _I wonder what sort of prey I'll find there,_ she thought. Of course she would be careful not to cross the border… but if anything was hiding on their side of the stream, it was fair game.

Hollypaw stiffened as she heard a strange, shrill cry. She blinked and looked around curiously. It seemed to be coming from the border. _Is there some cat in trouble?_ It didn't sound _quite_ like a cat… but there was only one way to find out. She picked up her pace and hurried down the slope towards the stream.

Then she spotted it. A russet-colored blur darted across the stream, whining loudly, before it took off into the trees on WindClan territory. Hollypaw frowned and started to run towards it. "Hello?" she called. "Is someone hurt?"

The thing ran back out of a clump of ferns. It was no more than a few fox-lengths away, now. It stared at her, wide-eyed, before it let out a piercing scream. Hollypaw flattened her ears at the sound. _What in the name of StarClan is that?_

She took a closer look at it. It had a thick, bushy tail, and a long snout. _Is it a… a fox?_ Hollypaw bristled at the thought. Whatever it was, it was clearly _not_ a cat. Hollypaw arched her back and hissed. "Get away!" she spat. "This is WindClan land!"

The fox bared its teeth at her and growled. It was a young thing, she guessed, not much bigger than herself, but its short teeth looked sharp. Hollypaw narrowed her eyes. It had a set of claw-marks on its cheek. _It's already been in a fight!_ She thought. _It shouldn't take much to scare it away._ Her pelt rippled strangely as she took a cautious step forward. Hollypaw couldn't place the feeling, but she felt _odd._ Her claws slid out on their own.

 _Stop being nervous!_ She told herself. Hollypaw took another step forward, but her footing was uneven, and she nearly stumbled. _What's wrong with you? Snap out of it!_

The fox stared at her. Its mouth was open, as though it were about to shriek again, but no sound came out. It looked as though it were shocked.

The fox looked her in the eye and stepped back with a gulp. "Wh-what on earth?" it had a high-pitched, shrill voice.

Hollypaw froze. _Did… did the fox just talk?_ She blinked a few times and narrowed her eyes. _Am I really that nervous about fighting that I'm imagining this?_

Then the fox spoke again, and she knew she wasn't making the voice up. "What… are you?" The fox stepped back, shaking her head. "I don't… I thought… _what_?"

Hollypaw swallowed. "How can you talk?" she demanded.

"What do you _mean_?" the fox retorted. She whipped her tail. "You… you weren't a fox when I first saw you… what _are you_?"

"I—wait, what?" Hollypaw froze. ' _You weren't a fox?' What does that_ — Then she stared down at her paws. They didn't look as they should. Her claws were dull and thick, and wouldn't sheathe themselves fully. Her feet were shaped oddly—her paws were less rounded and her toes seemed longer. "What…" She stumbled back, then looked at her tail.

Though it was still a deep black, her tail was round and bushy like the fox's.

The world spun around as Hollypaw dropped to the ground like a stone.

* * *

"Hello? Hello- _oooo_?"

Hollypaw blinked. The sun was shining right on her face. _What happened?_

Then she saw a long-snouted thing staring down at her, and it all came flooding back to her. "What is _wrong_ with you?" the fox asked. "You just fainted."

 _My paws!_ Hollypaw remembered. _StarClan, my tail!_ She leaped up and raced for the stream. Hollypaw stared down, hoping with all she had that she would see herself when she looked at the surface.

Staring back at her was the long, dark face of a fox.

"I still don't get it," the fox whined. "I swear, you looked like other things that I saw in the woods… but now you're a fox. How did you _do_ that?"

"Just stop talking!" Hollypaw blurted. She stumbled away from her reflection. "What did you do to me? I don't understand!"

" _Me_?" The fox demanded. "I didn't do _anything_! You're the freak!"

Hollypaw curled back her lips. The feeling was unfamiliar—her muzzle was much longer than it was meant to be. "Don't call me a freak!"

The fox stared suspiciously at her before she skipped a few steps closer and sniffed at her. "You _smell_ like a fox…" she muttered. "I don't get it." She shook her head quickly. "What _are_ you?"

"I'm a cat!" Hollypaw retorted. She lashed her tail. "I'm not a fox!"

"A cat?" The fox tipped her head to the side. "Is that what those animals in the forest were?" She wrinkled her nose. "Well, cats are _mean_. I hate them!"

Hollypaw scowled. "Are you kidding?" she growled. "Foxes are awful! You all steal our prey and trespass on Clan territory!"

The fox laughed sharply. " _Your_ prey? As if! You don't own anything! You stupid cats keep chasing us out of _our_ territory." She let out a furious growl. "If there weren't so many of you, it wouldn't be a problem!"

Hollypaw relaxed a little. _She… kind of has a point._ She was surprised to find herself sympathizing with the young fox. Then she shook her head. _Snap out of it!_ She told herself. _Don't start thinking like a fox! That'll just make everything worse._ Hollypaw sniffed and flattened her ears. "I need to go back to my Clanmates," she declared. "You better be gone by the time the next patrol gets here! We'll chase you away from the moor, too."

The fox sniffed loudly. "Clanmates?" she echoed. "Well, if they're more cats, do you think they'll let you prance back to them if you all hate foxes so much?"

Hollypaw gulped. _I don't know how I'm supposed to fix this!_ She thought. _I don't even understand_ how _it happened. I didn't do it on purpose!_

"See?" the fox quipped. "They won't care when they see you like _that_!" Her aggressive stance suddenly faded, and she looked almost pleased. "Why don't you stick with me?" she asked. "I just got split up from my mother. I could use a companion."

Hollypaw blinked. "Seriously?" she retorted. "You said I was a freak!" _Like I would even want to stick around a fox, anyway!_

The fox sat down and scratched at her neck. "So?" she said. "I've never seen one animal become another. That's pretty freaky." She looked curious. "What else can you be?"

"I don't know!" Hollypaw exclaimed. "It's never happened to me before." She lashed her tail. _I don't_ want _it to happen to me!_

"Well," the fox barked. "Then you need someone to show you how to be a fox! At least until you figure out how to be a—" she grimaced at the word. "— _cat_." She shook herself a bit and stood back up. "I'm Fern."

Hollypaw frowned. _It's… weird to know that a fox has a name._ She supposed it was no different than knowing the name of an enemy Clanmate… but it was still was a strange thought. "I'm Hollypaw."

"That's a weird name," Fern said. "You're a strange animal."

"My name's not weird!" Hollypaw growled. "It means that I'm an apprentice. One day, I'll be a WindClan warrior."

Fern looked at her blankly. "WindClan?"

 _She doesn't even know what the Clans are!_ Hollypaw thought. _Is it like that for other animals?_ She felt uneasy once more. _Do… all animals think like we do?_ It was something she had never considered before. She had heard of Midnight the badger from her father, but aside from the intelligent badger, she had never imagined that other animals were more than just prey or predators. Hollypaw shifted her paws.

"What's WindClan?" Fern pressed. "Are those the Clanmates you were talking about?"

Hollypaw nodded. "Yeah," she said. "We're a big group of cats… like a family, but different. We hunt for each other and protect each other."

Fern yawned. "That just sounds like my family," she said. "Nothing special about that."

Hollypaw narrowed her eyes. "Of course Clans are special!" she argued. "We live by the warrior code. We lead honorable lives and protect our Clanmates until we die and go to StarClan. What do _you_ live for?"

Fern shrugged. "For my next meal," she said. "I don't think much about it." She frowned, and began to look uncomfortable. "But… I don't exactly know where my next meal is going to come from. Mother always hunted for us… but I lost her in the woods when she tried to scare off the cats."

"That must have been ThunderClan," Hollypaw replied. "They live in the forest. You shouldn't go back there. They're warriors, too, and they'll fight hard to defend their territory." She felt a rush of guilt as she said that— _she_ should be defending the territory, as the code said! _Challenge all trespassers!_ She reminded herself. _But… it's sort of late for that. And I'm not exactly in a state to chase off the only creature that's going to talk to me._ Fern had been right—no WindClan patrol would think twice before attacking her. _I don't even know if I can still talk to other cats!_ Her mind was swimming, and she felt herself wobble on her paws again.

Then, in the back of her mind, she heard a soft voice. _Focus, Hollypaw._ It was not her own inner voice, and it snapped her into attention. "Who's there?" she blurted.

Fern narrowed her eyes. "Are you hearing things, too?" she asked. " _Sheesh_ , you really are weird."

Hollypaw felt a faint warmth press against her, almost as though another cat was pressing themselves against her. The soft voice came again. " _Focus_ ," it whispered. The voice was gentle and feminine, though Hollypaw could not see the speaker. "Hollypaw, you must concentrate. You cannot stay like this. Picture what you want in your mind, and _will_ it into being."

Hollypaw narrowed her eyes. She could very nearly see a ghostly outline of some cat, though it was hardly there. "Focus!" the voice ordered.

Fern leaned closer. "You look like you've swallowed a fly," she grunted. "What's going on?"

"I'm…" Hollypaw closed her eyes. "I need to change myself back. I can't stay like this." _Whoever you are,_ she thought, _Please don't leave me!_ She took a slow, deep breath. _Thinner tail, rounder paws, smaller muzzle…_ She tried to imagine herself as she had been before. _Come on, Hollypaw! You're a WindClan cat… not a fox!_

As she continued to concentrate, she felt that same, strange feeling coming over her. This time, she felt small pricks of pain across her body. It wasn't excruciating, but it was uncomfortable—it felt as though she had briars pricking her. Her claws slid in and out before they sheathed. Hollypaw rolled her jaw as it shortened. Her eyes clouded briefly before they adjusted once more, and she took in a breath as scents flooded her nose. _I didn't realize my nose had become so dull!_

Nervously, Hollypaw lifted a paw and inspected it. It looked exactly as it should be—small, round, with pink pads. _Yes!_ She quivered with relief and excitement. _StarClan, thank you! Thank you! I did it!_

She heard the ghostly voice whisper once more into her ear, "You did very well. StarClan is watching." Then the presence and the warmth faded, and she was sure that it was gone.

Hollypaw puffed out her chest. _Was that really a StarClan warrior?_ She wondered. _I can't believe StarClan chose to help me!_

Then she recalled Fern was still standing nearby, so she turned to face her once more. She found that she could no longer pick out Fern's expression as well as she had when she had been a fox. Fern barked something at her, but Hollypaw didn't understand it. _I'm back to normal!_

Hollypaw lifted her chin. "I don't know if you can still understand me," she meowed. "But you need to go away from here. This is WindClan territory, and if I see you again, I _will_ chase you off!"

Fern took an uncertain step back. The fox glanced around nervously before she turned and fled, heading upstream.

 _There,_ Hollypaw thought. _That's all over now._ She oriented herself back towards camp and began to walk. Though she tried to put the strange occurrence out of mind, it wasn't long before she felt a sinking feeling in her belly.

 _Why did that happen to me?_ Hollypaw wondered. _That… can't be something just anyone can do. I've never heard of a cat that can turn into a fox! Should I tell Onestar? Or Barkface? I don't even know what I would say!_

She gulped, and felt a rush of anxiety. _What if they think I'm crazy? Or worse… what if Onestar decides I'm_ dangerous _? He could exile me! The warrior code doesn't say anything about keeping foxes around…_ Hollypaw's tail twitched about as she headed for the spot where she had stored her catch. _Don't think like that!_ She told herself. _You're not a fox. You're an apprentice of WindClan!_

Hollypaw pulled the dead grouse out from under the heather bush, then dragged the mouse out with her paw. _But…_ she swallowed again. _Maybe it would be better to keep it a secret. Just for now… just until I understand why it happened to me._ Hollypaw glanced up at the sky. _StarClan guide me!_ She silently pleaded. _Please, whoever you were… come back to me! Tell me what to do!_

The ghostly voice did not return to her. Hollypaw hung her head. _I'm alone in this,_ she thought, miserably. _I'll have to figure it out myself._


	9. Chapter 8

Lionpaw padded into camp behind Brightheart. Sandstorm and Honeypaw were a few pawsteps ahead of them, and she was quick to announce the news to all his Clanmates— "Lionpaw killed a fox!"

Immediately, Squirrelflight and Brambleflower looked up from where they were sharing prey. "A fox?" Squirrelflight demanded. She abandoned her meal and hurried across camp. "Are you all okay?"

Sandstorm nodded to her daughter. "It was a startling fight," she said. "But Lionpaw did amazingly. As Honeypaw said, he killed one of them." Her green eyes were bright with pride as she glanced back at Lionpaw.

Squirrelflight brushed past Brightheart to look over Lionpaw. "You're sure you're alright?"

Lionpaw nodded. He puffed out his chest. "You should have seen the fox!"

Brightheart finally spoke. "I think it bit Lionpaw's leg." That was all she said before she padded past them and headed for the nursery. The molly disappeared inside.

Squirrelflight narrowed her eyes. "You'll be seeing Leafpool right away," she said. "I've seen how bad fox bites can turn."

Lionpaw lifted his foreleg to show her. "Look!" he meowed. "I'm fine, really. It didn't evn break the skin." He was telling the truth—there was no sign of a fox having even brushed him with their tail.

Squirrelflight sighed in relief. Brambleflower approached them as well, his eyes dark with worry. "It's definitely dead?" he asked.

Honeypaw nodded eagerly. "Oh, yeah. There's no way that thing's stealing prey anymore. But…"

Sandstorm finished for her. "There were kits. They attacked us too, but they were much easier to chase off."

"Right." Brambleflower nodded firmly. "We'll have to deal with that, then." He glanced at Lionpaw, frowning. "You're _really_ okay?"

Lionpaw resisted the urge to groan. _Not this again!_ "Yes!" he insisted. "I am."

Brambleflower hesitated before he nodded. "Alright. I need to send out patrols to find the kits, then. He turned away and scanned the camp for a heartbeat before he called out, "Dustpelt! Stormfur! Rainwhisker!" He hurried off to go speak to them as they lifted their heads to his call.

Squirrelflight brushed her tail along Lionpaw's spine. "I want Leafpool to check you, still," she said.

Lionpaw frowned up at her. "I _swear_ , I'm fine!"

Squirrelflight ushered him to move, anyway. "Just humor me!" she insisted. "I'll have to go kill a fox myself if my son gets sick from a fox bite."

Lionpaw lashed his tail in annoyance, but finally, he hurried ahead on his own. He stopped short of the entrance to the den. "Leafpool?" he called. "It's Lionpaw."

There was a bit of shuffling inside, and then the reply came. "Come in!"

Lionpaw ducked inside the den. Scents of herbs and flowers were heavy in the air, but they weren't repulsive. There were clumps of lavender weaved into the sides of the den, and the sweet-smelling flower masked the more bitter scents of other herbs. Leafpool was in the back of the den, hunched over a few piles of plants.

"Anything wrong?" Leafpool asked. "I heard some shouting outside, but it sounded like warrior business."

Lionpaw sighed. "We got in a fight with foxes again."

Leafpool shot up instantly. "Foxes?" she hurried to him. "Great StarClan!" She began to sniff all over him.

"Aw, come on!" Lionpaw flinched away from his aunt. "It didn't actually bite me anywhere. Like last time, I'm fine."

Leafpool's tail twitched about worriedly. "Well, I don't see any wounds… and the blood in your fur doesn't smell like you."

 _At last, someone listens!_ Lionpaw nodded. "I'm really not hurt at all," he said.

Leafpool sniffed over him once more. "Well… okay. Why did you come in here, then?"

Lionpaw sighed. "Squirrelflight said to."

"Ah." Leafpool smiled slightly. "Well, you can tell her you're fine. Will you send in the others you were with so I can look at them too?"

Lionpaw nodded and hurried back out of the den, eager to show that he was fine after all. _Not that I needed Leafpool's approval!_

Squirrelflight was speaking to Ferncloud just outside the den. "I'll talk to Brambleflower about doubling the night sentry until things calm down," she meowed.

Ferncloud looked worried. "You're sure there's just kits left?" she fretted. "I may be able to fight, but the idea of foxes in the territory… it just makes me worry." The queen spotted Lionpaw and gasped. "Oh, Lionpaw!" she meowed. "What did Leafpool say?"

Lionpaw hurried over. "I'm fine!" he insisted. _I swear, if I have to say it again, I might explode!_ "Leafpool even says so."

"Oh, thank StarClan," Ferncloud sighed. Squirrelflight smiled in relief. Ferncloud glanced back up. "I heard you killed the adult. Is that true?"

Lionpaw nodded. "Yep."

Ferncloud let out a loud purr. "You're going to be a fine warrior," she meowed. "Once Foxkit and Icekit hear, they'll be reenacting it for it moons!"

"I'm proud of you, too," Squirrelflight meowed. She shifted closer so that she could rub her head against his shoulder. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't hurt."

Lionpaw purred. He glanced back towards the nursery, and he frowned as he recalled Brightheart's strange attitude. He huffed quietly to himself and leaned against his mother. _I don't need Brightheart to be proud of me!_ He told himself. _I have plenty more cats who think I'm doing great._

* * *

Jaypaw blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to his new surroundings. He was dreaming, and somehow, he had always been able to see in dreams.

 _Where am I this time?_ he wondered. He glanced around. It seemed to be WindClan territory, for all around him was open moor. However, it was dark, and storm clouds were rolling in overhead.

Jaypaw heard a loud thumping from behind him. He turned in time to see a lean brown tabby racing down the moor—and something was chasing after him. It was simply _gigantic_ —large as a giant boulder.

It was Owlwhisker, and he was being chased by a giant rabbit.

Jaypaw rolled his eyes. _Oh, for the love of…_ Why did he have to wake up in Owlwhisker's stupid nightmare?

This was how it usually was for him. Jaypaw would fall asleep and wake up in someone _else's_ dream. It was rare Jaypaw ever had his own dream—with a light frown, he wondered when his last dream had even been.

"Leave me alone!" Owlwhisker wailed. He was running uselessly in circles as the huge rabbit hopped after him. "I'll never hunt rabbits again!"

Jaypaw shook his head and turned away. He walked the opposite direction of Onewhisker, until the landscape began to become hazy. Eventually, it faded altogether, and a new scene unfolded before him. It was the moor again, but this time, it was bright and booming with heather. Jaypaw narrowed his eyes and scanned the grassy area until his gaze settled on Breezepaw.

 _Yes!_ Jaypaw pricked his ears. Breezepaw always had exciting dreams. Often, he dreamed of fighting, whether it was with enemy warriors or with dogs. There would be epic wars fought for the honor of WindClan. This time, however, there were no sounds of battle.

 _Then_ he spotted Heatherpaw. She weaved around Breezepaw, purring, while he looked overjoyed.

"Oh, Breezepaw, you're so strong…" she murmured.

 _Oh, yuck!_ Jaypaw gagged and stumbled away. _I did_ not _want to see that!_ He'd had no idea his brother had some sort of feelings for Heatherpaw, but he wished he hadn't found out through some sappy dream. He hurried off, trying to get the image out of his head. _Breezepaw would be so embarrassed if he knew I saw that!_

Breezepaw's dream faded as Jaypaw hurried away. His surroundings shifted once more. Jaypaw frowned as he took it in—it was a moorland, yes, but it was unfamiliar to him. He oriented himself in the direction the lake should be, but found it was not there. Far down the slope stretched a thunderpath, and beyond it, a pine forest. _Where am I?_

He heard faint voices talking from above him. Jaypaw pricked his ears and followed the sounds. He saw a large, flat-topped rock at the top of the slope. Barkface was sitting on it with a tall black-and-white tom.

"...harder to find catmint," Barkface was saying. "And I'm worried about the cave-in. Did it mean something?"

The patched tom twitched his long whiskers. "The catmint will grow again," he meowed. "Leaf-bare has only just recently ended. Even if it takes time, you are a skilled medicine cat, and Kestrelpaw is a fast learner." He closed his eyes and purred. "I've been watching over him. You're teaching him well."

Barkface sighed. "Thank you, Tallstar. I hope I can teach him everything in time… I'm older than you were when you passed, you know."

 _Tallstar!_ Jaypaw's tail twitched in excitement. He had been the leader before Onestar, and Jaypaw had heard many great tales about him. _Then this must be the old territory._

Tallstar purred and pressed his muzzle to Barkface's shoulder. "You're not dying for some seasons, old friend. I'm sure of it."

The old medicine cat looked a bit reassured, but he leaned closer and asked, "You're sure StarClan has nothing to share?" he asked. "I can tell the other Clans are growing restless… it can't be long before a fight breaks out."

A soft voice from behind Jaypaw made him jump. "You shouldn't be here, Jaypaw."

Jaypaw whirled around to face the newcomer, bristling. Before him stood a pretty tortoiseshell molly. Amusement shown in her warm amber eyes, but she jerked her chin for him to follow her away. He stood his ground. "Who are you?" he demanded. Never before had someone addressed him when he walked in dreams like this—cats were usually simply too unaware in their own dreams to pick him out in their surroundings, and if they did, they never seemed to have any sense that he was _really_ there.

"Come," she meowed. "This conversation is not for your ears, young one." She brushed her tail along his flank. "My name is Spottedleaf."

 _Spottedleaf?_ Jaypaw wondered. He had never heard of a Spottedleaf before. She certainly didn't _look_ WindClan—her pelt was much too thick, and she was bulkier than his lean-bodied Clanmates. However, he followed her as she slowly walked away. He was too curious about this cat that had seen him to ignore her. "Are you a StarClan cat?" he asked.

"Smart lad," Spottedleaf purred. "Yes, I am." With a closer look, he noticed there were small stars shimmering in her tortoiseshell pelt. "Let's talk somewhere else."

With a blink, the moorland was gone, and they were in a lush forest. Jaypaw jumped a bit at the sudden change, but after a heartbeat, he relaxed. He glanced curiously at Spottedleaf. "Where are you from?" he asked. "You aren't WindClan, are you?"

"No," Spottedleaf admitted. She sat down in the soft grass and curled her thick tail around her paws. "I was a ThunderClan medicine cat, many seasons ago, long before the Clans moved to the lake."

 _She looks so young,_ Jaypaw thought. _How did she die?_ He absorbed the information for a few moments before he settled down to sit as well. "Why did you stop me from staying there?" he asked.

Spottedleaf smiled softly. "You've been blessed with an incredible gift, Jaypaw," she meowed. "No one can walk in the dreams of other cats as you do—even medicine cats only dream with us when _we_ will it." She leaned in closer. "And your knack for sensing the thoughts and feelings of others is not as common as you believe it to be."

Jaypaw started slightly. He always _knew_ that it wasn't normal to hang around in other cats' dreams, but he hadn't expected her to mention sensing the emotions of other cats. _I guess I am a bit more aware than some other cats,_ he thought. _But I don't see how that's special._

Spottedleaf carried on. "No one else has such talents. You must use them with discretion—as use them noblely, too."

Jaypaw scoffed. _Who is she to tell me how to act?_ "What does walking in dreams have to do with being _noble_?"

Spottedleaf twitched her whiskers. "Tallstar and Barkface were speaking privately," she meowed. "Although… StarClan could choose to share such dreams with you, too. _Important_ dreams."

 _'Important'?_ Now _that_ piqued his interest. "You would?" he asked, pricking his ears curiously.

Spottedleaf nodded slowly. "You would need to become a medicine cat, of course," she meowed. "You would get to visit us every half-moon, and learn about reading our prophecies—"

Jaypaw bristled at that. Before she could go on, he let out a snarl. " _What_?" He demanded. "A medicine cat? Never! I'm going to be a warrior! We already _have_ a medicine cat apprentice, anyway!"

Spottedleaf looked startled by the hostility. Softly, she meowed, "But Jaypaw, you have such a remarkable power. Think of the good you could do for your Clan if you learned how to truly embrace it!"

"Why do _you_ care about what I could do for WindClan?" Jaypaw demanded. His chest was beginning to tighten with anger. _No, no, no! I'll never be a medicine cat!_ "You're from _ThunderClan_! Why don't you go worry about _their_ apprentices?"

"Oh, my dear Jaypaw," Spottedleaf sighed. She leaned closer and gently touched her muzzle to his forehead. "You really don't understand, do you?"

"Get away from me!" Jaypaw shrieked. He tumbled back, and his claws slid out. "I'll never be a medicine cat! Leave me alone!"

Then he was being shaken awake. "Jaypaw, calm down!"

Jaypaw's eyes opened. The world around him was dark once more. He was panting heavily.

"You alright?" the cat asked. After another heartbeat, Jaypaw realized the voice belonged to Emberpaw. "You were kicking in your sleep! You rolled all the way into my nest."

"Sorry," Jaypaw rasped. He rolled onto his belly, and paused to catch his breath. "Did I wake you up?"

"Yeah," Emberpaw meowed, though he didn't sound as bothered as he would have expected. The older apprentice sat up and yawned. "That's alright, though. We've all had a bad dream before."

Jaypaw sniffed at the air, trying to gauge the time. There was no sunlight warming his pelt, and only the faintest breeze was making noise in camp. "Is it still the middle of the night?"

"It's a bit past moon-high," Emberpaw said. There was a long stretch of silence between them. Eventually, he asked, "Wanna talk about it?"

Jaypaw shook his head. _How would I explain that a ThunderClan spirit tried to convince me to be a medicine cat because I walk in dreams?_ "Not really."

"Okay." Emberpaw stretched his back before he sat back down. He lowered himself down into his nest and curled up in a tight ball. "Well, I'm going to try and sleep again. Goodnight."

Jaypaw nodded. "Sorry about waking you."

Emberpaw purred quietly. "Don't worry about it."

Jaypaw settled his chin down on his paws. He waited for sleep to come once more, and when it did, he dreamed no more.

* * *

Lionpaw swiped at Cinderpaw's face. She ducked and rolled, trying to escape, but Lionpaw was ready. He twisted around and slammed his paws on her shoulders as she nearly finished her roll, and she squeaked in surprise as he pushed down with all his strength and held her there. Her hind legs pummeled the air uselessly, as Lionpaw stood just ever so slightly out of their reach.

Finally, the gray molly sighed and went limp. "I give!" she declared. "But you have to show me that move. I wasn't expecting that!"

Lionpaw grinned and let her up. It had been a few days since the battle with the fox, and his mock battles had only gotten better. Today alone he had already beaten both Mousepaw and Hazelpaw before his fight with Cinderpaw, and he had yet to feel tired.

"That was great," Cloudtail meowed. "Good work, you two. I wasn't expecting that move either!" He glanced fondly at Brightheart. "Did _you_ show him that?"

Brightheart shook her head. "No," she meowed.

Lionpaw nearly rolled his eyes. _Yeah, right!_ Brightheart was still only showing him defensive moves and acting as though he was making dirt all over the warrior code every time he won a fight. _All of_ my _battle moves are just my own skill._

"Who's next?" Spiderleg meowed. "Or should we move on to teaching some more moves?"

Dustpelt twitched his whiskers. "Lionpaw should show the other apprentices how he trapped Cinderpaw," he suggested. "It was a good move."

Lionpaw blinked. _Really?_ Pride surged through him. _I'm still the youngest apprentice, and I'm going to teach the others!_

Before Dustpelt could speak again, there was a loud crashing through the undergrowth. Birchfall burst into the clearing, bristling. "ShadowClan has moved the border!" he declared. "They're trying to take more territory!"

Cloudtail leaped up and snarled. "What?" he demanded. "Those fox-hearts!"

Dustpelt narrowed his eyes and stood. "Get back to camp!" he ordered Birchfall. "We'll head for the border. Tell Firestar and have him send another patrol!"

Birchfall nodded before he took off once more. Dustpelt lashed his tail furiously. "All of you, come on!" he growled. "We'll show ShadowClan what happens when they try and take ThunderClan land."

Lionpaw's eyes widened as he began to realize what this meant for him. _This will be my first battle!_ He kneaded his paws eagerly. _Yes! This is exactly what I've been training for!_ He unsheathed his claws and imagined sinking them into the pelt of a ShadowClan warrior.

"Now!" Cloudtail ordered, before he turned and raced off in the direction of ShadowClan. One by one, the others in the clearing leaped up and hared after him.

Lionpaw took off only a heartbeat after Cinderpaw. His warrior blood was rising. He was ready for battle.

* * *

The forest reeked of ShadowClan stench. Their enemies had placed markers well past the border.

Lionpaw narrowed his eyes furiously. Firestar had gifted them a strip of territory a moon ago, and this was how they repaid him? _They'll pay for this!_

Dustpelt sniffed the air. "StarClan, it smells awful. Fan out. There may be ShadowClan cats still about."

Lionpaw stiffened as he heard rustling behind him. "Don't speak too soon!" came a taunting voice. He whirled around to find the source, and found a brown tom padding out from the ferns.

Dustpelt growled as a ginger molly strolled towards them from the ShadowClan side of the border. "ThunderClan has crossed the border," she meowed. "Bad move." She lifted her tail, and more and more warriors began to step out of hiding.

 _They were waiting for us!_ Lionpaw bristled. _They knew we would come!_ They were surrounded and vastly outnumbered.

"Russetfur!" Dustpelt spat. "We should have known ShadowClan would try a dirty trick after being given something."

Lionpaw recognized Cedarheart as the dark tabby spoke up. "ThunderClan is hardly a real Clan anymore!" the warrior boldly shouted. "Full of kittypets and useless loners."

"Clan territory is meant for _warriors_!" Wetfoot yowled.

Russetfur let out a growl. "Leave now and we'll spare you a fight," she declared. The ginger molly unsheathed her claws. "Or stay and be ripped to shreds!"

"We will never give up our land to you!" Dustpelt spat. "Attack!" He leaped forward and threw himself on Russetfur, and the forest exploded into battle.

Lionpaw was caught off-guard as a cat slammed into his side and threw him over. He yelped and rolled, but managed to jump back up to his paws and face his attacker. _Crowpaw!_ He thought, as his eyes settled on the black-and-white apprentice.

"Crowfood-eater!" Spat Crowpaw, as he sliced his claws along Lionpaw's shoulder.

Lionpaw hardly felt it, and Crowpaw's eyes widened as he realized he had barely hurt Lionpaw.

Lionpaw leaped for Crowpaw and slammed into him. Lionpaw latched his claws into Crowpaw's shoulders as they rolled over, head-over-tail. Crowpaw screeched and pummeled his legs into Lionpaw's belly. It did nothing to stop Lionpaw. He dug his claws in harder and sank his teeth into one of Crowpaw's ears, then pulled back with all his might.

Crowpaw shrieked as Lionpaw ripped half his ear off. The ShadowClan apprentice tore himself free of Lionpaw and let out a thin wail. "My _ear_!" he cried, shaking his head about madly. Flecks of blood scattered around. Lionpaw spat out the scrap of skin and began to step forward. Before he could attack again, Crowpaw turned around took off for ShadowClan territory.

 _Easy!_ Lionpaw thought, and adrenaline urged him on. He spun around, searching for a new target. He saw Cloudtail was being attacked by two cats, and the white warrior was struggling to keep up as they danced around him. Lionpaw narrowed his eyes and charged for the closest one, Ivypaw.

Lionpaw sank his teeth into her tail and she let out a screech. Cloudtail nodded gratefully and turned to deal with the second cat. Lionpaw yanked back and pulled Ivypaw right off her feet. The molly went down screeching, but she didn't go limp and give in. She rolled onto her back and kicked Lionpaw square in the jaw. He let go of her tail and stumbled back as his jaw smarted. The pain faded quickly, and by the time Ivypaw had regained her footing, he was able to lash out and deal her a savage blow across the face.

Ivypaw hissed through the pain and surged forward. She sank her jaws into the side of his neck, and reared up to wrap her forelegs around his neck to hold herself in place. Thinking quickly, Lionpaw let himself fall down to the side where she was lodged, and her eyes widened as she realized her unfortunate position. Ivypaw released him as her head smashed into the ground, and Lionpaw reversed their position. He bit into her shoulder and snarled furiously.

He tasted the sharp tang of blood on his tongue, and went mad. A red haze clouded his vision, and his attacks became sporadic and instinctive. Lionpaw scored his claws down her spine, then let go of her shoulder only to sink his jaws into the paw that she tried to use to claw his face. He hardly heard her shrieks of pain. Lionpaw didn't hear the reinforcements arrive, despite their fierce battle cries.

All he heard was the blood pounding in his ears, and all he felt was the satisfying sensation of slicing his claws through her time and time again.

Suddenly, Lionpaw was being yanked backwards by his scruff, and all the breath went out of him as he was slammed into the ground. His vision focused and unfocused, and he flailed about wildly as he tried to dislodge whoever was holding him.

Finally, the fog cleared, and he realized it was Stormfur holding him. "What are you doing?" Lionpaw demanded. "ShadowClan are the enemy, not me!"

"Look around," Stormfur growled. " _Listen_."

Lionpaw blinked. The battle had stilled around him. Both ShadowClan and ThunderClan cats were staring at him with wide eyes. Silence had befallen the battlegrounds.

Then his gaze settled on Ivypaw, and bile rose in his throat.

Ivypaw's once-pretty gray coat was coated in blood. There didn't seem to be an inch of her body that wasn't ripped open or matted with her blood. Clumps of her fur were scattered around her.

Lionpaw's stomach swirled dangerously. _Oh, StarClan, no…_ Killing a fox was one thing—but an apprentice from another Clan? That was a whole other matter. _I didn't mean to!_ He thought. He wanted to cry out in shock or horror, but he couldn't form any noise.

A ginger cat was crouched over her. "Ivypaw!" he cried. "Wake up!" His eyes were round with worry.

Ivypaw took a jagged, wheezy breath, and the ShadowClan tom crumpled in relief. "StarClan keep her alive!" he prayed. Then he lifted his gaze and glared at Lionpaw with undisguised hatred. He stood and stepped over Ivypaw. "You… you…" every hair on his pelt stood up, and he lashed his tail. "YOU STEAMING PILE OF _FOX-DUNG_!" he roared, before he lunged forward.

Stormfur released his hold on Lionpaw and moved to stand in front of him, but Russetfur was faster. She surged forward and sank her teeth into the warrior's scruff and pulled him back. He yanked himself free, but didn't move to attack again. "How can you let him lie there?" Rowanclaw demanded. "He almost killed Ivypaw! He _would_ have killed her!"

 _No!_ Lionpaw thought. He clenched his eyes shut. _No, no, no no no no… I wouldn't! I'm not a murderer! I don't know what happened!_

"I know you have already lost one apprentice, Rowanclaw," Russetfur growled. Her voice was edged with barely-contained fury. "But we need to bring her home so you do not lose another."

Lionpaw opened his eyes again. Firestar was padding towards Russetfur. "Go _now_ ," Firestar growled. "Do not think to take my territory again."

Russetfur thrust her muzzle in Firestar's face. "You deal with that _savage_ ," she spat. "Or ShadowClan will take _everything_ from you." Her gaze flicked to Lionpaw. "You should pray to StarClan that Ivypaw survives," she snarled. "Or I will tear out your throat _myself_."

Brambleflower took a step forward. "Make threats to my son and you'll be dealing with _me,_ Russetfur!"

Russetfur spat at his paws and turned away. A few ShadowClan warriors hurried to help Ivypaw. She was draped over the shoulders of the largest cat, with two others supporting her weight on either side. Then, they disappeared into their own territory.

Lionpaw slowly shifted to lay on his belly. He felt ill, and if he had eaten earlier, he likely would have thrown up. _I just… I completely lost control,_ he thought, as he began to tremble. _But I wouldn't have… I wouldn't have killed her… I wouldn't…_

Firestar's voice made Lionpaw lift his gaze. "Ashfur, Brambleflower, and Stormfur, I want you to mark every tree _twice_ ," the leader ordered. "Spiderleg and Brook, search the area and make sure there isn't a whisker of a ShadowClan cat left." He lifted his blood-splattered muzzle. "The rest of us will return to camp. Is anyone seriously injured?"

"My paw was bitten," Spiderleg complained. "It's tender, but I can walk."

"I'm missing some fur from my tail," Stormfur grunted. "Otherwise, I'm fine."

Lionpaw remained silent. He was still shaking. The memory of Ivypaw's mangled body was imprinted in his mind, and everytime he blinked his eyes shut, he saw her lying in a mess of her own fur and blood.

Firestar padded over to him and nudged him up to his paws. "Come, Lionpaw," he murmured. "You need to see Leafpool."

For once, Lionpaw didn't complain.

* * *

Jaypaw had trouble concentrating in training. His thoughts were muddled as the day went on, and there were a number of times where he fumbled and ran into a tunnel wall or missed an easy catch.

"Something wrong?" Willowclaw eventually asked, as they were resting in a wider cavern underground. "You're off your game today, Jaypaw."

Jaypaw sighed and frowned. _I can't have off-days_ , he thought. _All it does is prove the cats who don't believe in me are right._ Even so, he couldn't push his dream out of his mind. Many times he heard Spottedleaf's words in his mind, telling him that he had a gift and that he should be a medicine cat.

"Jaypaw?" Willowclaw meowed. "You didn't fall asleep on your paws, did you?"

"Sorry," Jaypaw meowed. "I've just had a lot on my mind today."

Jaypaw sensed a wave of sympathy from Willowclaw. "I can tell," she said. "Is it anything you want to talk about?" She shifted her paws. "I'm here to teach you the skills of a warrior, yes, but I can help guide you in other ways, too."

Jaypaw felt touched by her concern, but he still wasn't eager to share what was _really_ going on. He liked that Willowclaw never brought up his blindness as a point of worry—she only talked about his skills and how he could improve, or, like now, worried for his feelings. _I wish I could tell you,_ he thought, with a shake of his head. "No…" he sighed. "Not really."

Willowclaw was quiet for a few heartbeats. "I know everyone is hard on you," she said. "And not everyone believes in you as much as they should." Jaypaw could sense that she was thinking of Crowfeather, and he felt a prick of anger. "But _I_ believe in you. All the tunnelers do now. Even Leafpaw, though I doubt he would swallow his pride enough to admit it. You'll see in time that you can be a great warrior."

Jaypaw nodded silently. Something deep in his chest untightened. It hadn't even been what he had been worrying about—but it was something that was always rooted in the back of his mind. He pushed his thoughts of Spottedleaf aside. _I need to focus on what's in front of me,_ he told himself. _Willowclaw believes in me. So do Nightcloud and Breezepaw… and Ashfoot._ He took a breath. _I don't need to worry about what a stupid ThunderClan cat says, dead or alive._

Jaypaw straightened up. "Thank you, Willowclaw."

WIllowclaw nodded. "Of course." She stood up. "Come on. We've rested long enough. I know of a good place for catching moles—let's head there now."

Jaypaw padded after her, feeling much lighter.

* * *

Lionpaw was lying on his side in Leafpool's den. She had fed him poppy seeds and some number of other herbs to soothe him, and finally, he was relaxed. Leafpool had been shocked to see that he seemed to be unharmed by the battle, but as Firestar had recounted his fight with Ivypaw, she had become concerned and set about to dealing with his shock.

Though Lionpaw did not sleep, his mind had slowed greatly and his senses had dulled. Leafpool lay nearby, purring softly. The low noise soothed him even more.

There was a rustle from the mouth of the den as another cat padded inside. Lionpaw slowly lifted his head. It was Brightheart.

Leafpool stopped purring and sat up. "No visitors," she said, voice firm. "He needs rest and quiet."

"I'll be quick," Brightheart meowed. "I need to talk to him." She sighed. "Preferably alone."

Leafpool glanced at Lionpaw, concern clear in her eyes. Lionpaw, though he had trouble focusing on Brightheart's hazy form, nodded. "'S'okay," he mumbled.

"Alright," Leafpool meowed. "But be _quick._ " She padded out of the den.

Brightheart moved closer. She sat beside him. The ginger-and-white warrior sighed softly. "Lionpaw…" she meowed. "I… I owe you an apology."

"Wha-?" Lionpaw asked, as his eyelids fluttered. He slowly rolled over and tried to sit up.

Brightheart looked away. "I've been a terrible mentor," she meowed, voice thick with guilt. "I've just been worried about how aggressive you are in training, and I didn't know how to deal with it…" she shifted her paws. "So I just didn't. And then this happened… and I realized how awful I've been. I should have taught you more restraint, been more mindful..."

Lionpaw's mind was far too clouded for a conversation of this nature, but his head bobbed anyway. "Is… not your fault," he mumbled. "It's…" an image of Ivypaw bloody and torn, flashed through his mind. He began to tremble. "I…" in his mind, he heard her scream in pain and terror. "I…" He fell into a crouch. "I _didn't mean to_!" he wailed.

Leafpool rushed back into then. "You need to go," she sharply told Brightheart. She pawed a few seeds towards Lionpaw's nose. "Eat a few more poppy seeds, Lionpaw. You'll feel better."

Brightheart backed away. "I—I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to upset him."

Lionpaw licked up the seeds, and as he swallowed, he crumpled down fully to the ground. His vision swam.

"It's not all your fault. He's just had a great shock," Leafpool sighed. "He needs rest and care." She pressed against him and rasped her tongue over Lionpaw's face. "It'll be alright, Lionpaw."

Lionpaw leaned into her and fell asleep to her gentle bathing.


	10. Chapter 9

Hollypaw was out on the territory, hunting alone once again. When Onestar had no time to train her, he would simply send her off with instructions for the day.

She had little luck today, though. It was cloudy and the air was humid. It felt as though rain would break at any moment, but it never came. She travelled along anyway, keeping her ears and eyes strained for any sign of prey.

Hollypaw settled down to rest a moment under an old beech tree. There were very few trees on WindClan territory outside of the strip of forest along the border, and she glanced up into the branches, hoping for any sign of birds. The branches held no prey, however, and she let out a heavy sigh.

 _Maybe there's something else I can practice,_ she thought, recalling the incident with Fern a few days ago. She had tried to ignore the nagging desire to try it again, but now… Hollypaw was alone, and there was no one around to watch.

 _What should I try to be?_ Hollypaw wondered. _What's the strongest animal?_ She twitched her tail. _How about… a big dog?_ She closed her eyes and tried to focus. Hollypaw had never seen a dog before, but she had heard stories of them. _Big and powerful, with sharp teeth and strong jaws…_ But nothing happened.

Hollypaw frowned. _Maybe I have to have really seen something to be it,_ she thought. She turned her mind to foxes instead. _This I know I can do… come on!_ She pictured her square paws and dull claws, and imagined her muzzle lengthening into a long snout… And then, Hollypaw's pelt began to ripple and prick, and she almost kneaded her paws excitedly. _Yes! It's working!_

The feeling faded, and she looked herself over. _How can it be so easy?_ She wondered, admiring her thick, bushy tail. _This can't be normal._

Hollypaw leaped up and broke into a run, racing aimlessly. She ran up a slope and leaped as she reached the top, before she paused for a second to pant loudly. She gazed out over the top of the hill, and found herself staring down at the border stream and the strip of trees. _I wonder if Fern is still around,_ she thought, feeling a flash of guilt. _Is she still alone? I don't know what I would do if I had no Clan to be with._ She trotted down the hillside, sniffing the air for any familiar scent.

A screech made her jump. Hollypaw whirled around to see Heatherpaw standing at the top of the hill, bristling. _Oh, StarClan, no!_ Hollypaw thought, eyes wide. "Heatherpaw!" she called. "I'm not going to hurt you!"

Heatherpaw didn't seem to understand Hollypaw's bark. "Get out of here!" Heatherpaw yowled, as she began to race down the slope towards Hollypaw. "Fox!" she called. "There's a fox!"

Hollypaw swallowed. _She doesn't know its me!_ She spun back around and raced for the stream. _I have to get away!_ She wasn't ready to reveal her ability—who knew how Heatherpaw would react?

The stream was just within reach, but Heatherpaw was gaining on her. Hollypaw put on a burst of speed, then bunched her muscles before she leaped and cleared the stream. She landed sloppily on the other side and rolled over a few times.

"That's right!" Heatherpaw yowled. "Stay out, you stinking fox!" She stopped just short of the border, but was fixing Hollypaw with a fierce glare.

Hollypaw shook herself and scurried away into the undergrowth. She waited until she heard Heatherpaw's pawsteps heading away. Hollypaw sighed and relaxed. "Well, hare-dung," she swore. She was in ThunderClan territory now, and she felt uneasy as she thought of the code. _I shouldn't be on another Clan's territory!_

Hollypaw crept out from the bush she had hid in. _But… the warrior code doesn't exactly cover turning into other animals and fleeing your own Clanmates._

Then she heard a familiarly shrill voice. "Who's there?"

Hollypaw lifted her chin. "Fern?" she called. "Is that you?"

"Hollypaw!" a fox burst out of the ferns. _It's her!_ "I didn't think I would see you again."

Hollypaw shrugged. "I was trying out… well, _this_ , and I got chased by one of my own Clanmates." She narrowed her eyes at Fern. "What are you doing back in the forest?"

Fern looked down at her paws. She looked distraught. "I tried to find my mother again," she whined. "But she's dead. I saw her body and… oh, it was horrible!" she gagged at the thought. "All torn about and chewed up…" she shuddered. "They just _left_ her there."

"Who?" Hollypaw asked.

"Those _cats_!" Fern growled. "I told you cats are the worst, and I was right!" Her thick tail lashed. "I couldn't find my littermates. I bet they're dead, too."

Hollypaw felt a rush of sympathy. "I'm sorry, Fern," she said. "Were you all close?" She thought briefly of her own mother. _I would be horrified if I found Nightcloud like that._

Fern glanced up at her, seeming confused by the question. "She fed me," she barked. "And gave me a nest. Now I don't have food or a home."

Hollypaw frowned. "Seriously?" she asked. "I'd be heartbroken if one of my parents died."

Fern sniffed. "So?" she asked. "You've got all those other cats to feed you. I barely know how to hunt! I have more important things than being sad about her."

Hollypaw twitched her ears. Deeper in the woods, she could hear low voices. _It's a patrol!_ She thought. "Come on!" she yipped. "There's a ThunderClan patrol coming—those are the cats that killed your mother."

Fern lifted her head, and her eyes widened. "Help me fight them!" she demanded. "I need some territory of my own or I'll starve!"

"No!" Hollypaw growled. "Just follow me!" She turned and raced back towards the stream. There was no sign of Heatherpaw or any WindClan cats, so she splashed through to the other side. "They can't cross the stream!" she called. "Come on!"

"What?" Fern hurried after her. She flattened her ears. "Why can't they? That's stupid. You're going to get me killed!"

Hollypaw rolled her eyes. _StarClan give me patience!_ "They follow the warrior code," she explained, as she stepped onto the shore and shook water from her legs. "They'd be breaking the rules if they crossed."

Fern jumped across the stream. After she landed, she glanced curiously at Hollypaw. "So the code doesn't apply to foxes, though?" she asked. "Because you seem to be jumping over whenever you feel like it!"

Hollypaw winced. _I don't know!_ She thought. She didn't _want_ to just go around strolling over borders… but she wasn't exactly in a usual situation. "Just follow me," she repeated.

Fern trotted after her obediently. The undergrowth on the other side of the stream rustled as a few cats appeared. A brown tabby sniffed at the air. "Look!" he meowed. "Two of the fox kits."

A gray tom shrugged. "They're WindClan's problem now," he replied. "Come on. Let's just mark the border and hope they don't come back."

Hollypaw and Fernpaw watched them go. _That was almost too easy!_ Hollypaw thought. "Let's go into the trees," she said. "It'll give us some cover from both Clans."

Fern shrugged and followed as Hollypaw led them upstream and into the sparse stretch of forest. Hollypaw sighed and flopped down on her side to catch her breath. Fern sat down nearby and itched at her shoulder.

"So what exactly _is_ a Clan?" Fern asked, after a stretch of silent. "I get you all hunt for each other and fight over territory or whatever… but _why_?"

Hollypaw blinked. "Well… that's just how it's always been," she replied. "We protect each other and help each other. We live by the warrior code—it's what sets us apart from rogues or loners."

"Yeah, but… _why_?" Fern repeated. She inclined her head curiously. "I mean, my littermates and I lived with my mother because we were protected by her and she brought us food… but we would have gone off to have our own kits eventually. Why live with a bunch of other cats?"

Hollypaw flipped her tail. _I don't really know how to answer that,_ she thought. _I can't imagine living alone._ "We share a bond," she eventually replied. "The kind that only comes with living and hunting and fighting together… my Clan is like my family. But we never split up. We take care of our old and sick because it's the _right_ thing to do."

"Huh." Fern frowned thoughtfully. "Okay." She moved to lie down and stretched out her legs. "So what's the 'code' thing all about?"

 _Now that's easy!_ Hollypaw straightened up. _Imagine if Onestar were here to see this!_ She thought. _I'm going to teach the warrior code to a_ fox _of all things._ "It's a set of laws passed down from the cats before us," she explained. "It guides us through life and gives a set of morals to stand by. Taking care of elders is part of the code, for instance."

Fern began to look interested. "Mother always said we'd just get old and die one day," she said. "Once you can't hunt for yourself, it's over. Unless something gets to you first." She frowned again. "She ended up going that way. Guess it's better than being old and weak and starving to death."

Hollypaw flattened her ears at the thought. "I've never had to wonder what would happen to me when I get old," she said. "I'm either going to die in battle, defending our borders, or I'll spend my final days resting with my fellow elders and passing on stories to kits. I _know_ my Clan will be there for me."

Fern shifted slightly. "I kind of wish I had that security," she grunted. "But… I can't stand the thought of living with so many other foxes! My littermates were enough for me."

"But you're alone now," Hollypaw pointed out. "Surely it would help to find someone?"

Fern sniffed. "Well, I asked _you_ , didn't I?" she retorted. "I don't exactly know of a bunch of fox groups hanging around like you cats do."

Hollypaw was thinking of what to say when a yowl startled her.

"Hollypaw! Hollypaw!"

 _Nightcloud!_ Hollypaw straightened up. _There's cats out looking for me?_

"Hollypaw!" That was Onestar's voice.

Fern flattened her ears. "What's with all the screeching?" she yipped.

"Those are my Clanmates!" Hollypaw exclaimed. She stood up. "I have to go back to them. They're looking for me."

Fern's eyes widened. "Wait!" she barked. "Don't leave me. I don't know where to go now!"

Hollypaw hesitated. _What can I do?_ She wondered. Once again, she was unsure of what the warrior code demanded. Trespassers were to be challenged… but she had _invited_ Fern into the territory. _I brought her here. I can't just tell my Clanmates that! How would I even explain?_ She sighed. "Just stay here," she suggested. "I'll tell my Clanmates I followed your scent here but didn't see you."

Fern looked at her curiously. "Your Clanmates wouldn't be too happy if they knew I was here, would they?"

Hollypaw shook her head. "No. Please don't come back out until we're gone. I wouldn't know how to explain it to them." She turned away and closed her eyes, trying to will herself back into the form of a cat.

"Wait!" Fern yelped. Hollypaw glanced back at her. Fern sat back up. "Will you come back?" she asked. "To see me? I don't have anyone else to talk to." She tilted her head and pulled a sorrowful face. "Please?"

Hollypaw flicked her tail. _I guess if no one finds out… it couldn't hurt. Maybe learning how to be a fox will make me a stronger warrior?_ She nodded. "I can't promise when," she said. "But I'll come back."

After Hollypaw shifted herself back to her natural state, she broke off into a run and went racing out of the woods.

"Hollypaw!" Nightcloud wailed. "Where are you?" She, Onestar, and Runningbrook were all standing at the top of a nearby slope.

"I'm here!" Hollypaw shouted. "I'm coming!"

The three cats turned to see her run towards them. "You're safe!" Nightcloud exclaimed. "Oh, thank StarClan."

Onestar sniffed at her as she joined them at the top of the hill. "Heatherpaw reported that she chased off a fox," he grunted. "Then I recalled I sent you out alone, and…" he sighed. "We feared the worst. I sent out patrols to all corners of the territory."

Runningbrook curled her lip. "You _smell_ like you found a fox!"

Hollypaw nodded. "Oh, yes, I found a scent trail for a fox. It must have been the one Heatherpaw chased!" She quickly carried on, trying to sound earnest. "I found some spots the fox nested, but I didn't run into it."

Nightcloud straightened up. "Thank StarClan for that," she muttered. "Foxes on WindClan territory… I can't believe this." She unsheathed her claws. "To think of what could have happened..."

Runningbrook looked thoughtful. "Heatherpaw _did_ say it was a young one… it must have gotten a good fright when she chased it. I doubt we'll see it for a while."

Onestar nodded. "Even so, we'll have to be careful. No apprentices out alone for the next moon."

 _Moon?_ Hollypaw thought, and her heart sank. _That's so long! Fern will either think I lied or get attacked by a patrol by then… and besides that, how am I supposed to practice whatever_ this _thing is if I'm stuck with other cats?_

"Is that clear?" Onestar asked, turning his gaze to Hollypaw.

Hollypaw nodded bleakly. "Yes, Onestar." She could only hope that this gift wouldn't fade away in that time.


	11. Chapter 10

Lionpaw spent a quarter moon in Leafpool's den. His fight with Ivypaw had shaken him to his core, and every night he woke from violent nightmares, dreaming that he was ripping Ivypaw apart again. Even in his waking hours he saw her every time he closed his eyes.

Eventually, though, time passed, and the dreams lessened. The screams and the image of her began to wane away. Lionpaw's herbal treatments became smaller, and he needed them less than he had upon first returning. One day, Leafpool padded into the den and brushed her tail against Lionpaw's back. "Ivypaw is doing alright," she informed him. "I ran into Littlecloud while I was collecting herbs. She didn't die. She's doing much better, actually. He said she's already back to training."

Lionpaw lifted his head, blinking in the dimly lit den. "Really?" he murmured. Leafpool's treatment, though less potent than his first day, had continued to muddle his senses. It kept him calm in the day, however, so he didn't mind it much.

"Really," Leafpool affirmed. She touched a paw to his shoulder. "Would you like to go for a walk? I have more herbs to collect and some fresh air would do you good." She purred quietly as she added, "You can't sit in here forever. Brightheart is anxious to get back to training you."

Lionpaw shifted slightly. _Brightheart!_ he thought. He'd nearly forgotten all about training. _I should go out,_ he told himself. _I don't know how long it's been since I left this den._ He nodded. "Okay."

Leafpool smiled. "I'll wait for you by the exit," she meowed, before she turned and left the den.

Lionpaw was slow to stand. He turned, arched his back for a moment, and then padded towards the mouth of the den. He blinked in the bright sunlight for a few moments, standing half-in and half-out of the den.

"It's Lionpaw!" a young voice squeaked. Lionpaw glanced the direction of the voice. Icekit and Foxkit were tumbling around near the fresh-kill pile, but they had stopped as they spotted the apprentice.

Foxkit pulled himself away from his sister and bounded across camp. "Lionpaw! Lionpaw!" he meowed. He seemed to be growing rapidly—though still tinier than Lionpaw, he had become stockier since Lionpaw had become an apprentice. "I heard you had to rest in Leafpool's den after the battle. Did you get hurt?"

Icekit was only a moment behind him. She skidded to a halt in front of Lionpaw and blinked up at him. "Did a ShadowClan cat hurt you?" she asked, before she unsheathed her tiny claws. "I'll shred them!"

Lionpaw shook his head. _I'm the one that did the hurting,_ he thought, feeling a wave of guilt. "No," he meowed. "I just… needed some time in there."

"But that doesn't make sense," Foxkit replied. "Why—"

"Foxkit!" Ferncloud called. "Icekit!" The queen was sitting outside the nursery. "Give Lionpaw some space. It's time for a nap anyway."

"No!" cried Icekit, as her eyes widened. "Mousefur promised to tell me about the BloodClan battle!" She whipped around and raced back across camp, making a beeline for the elders' den.

"Icekit!" Ferncloud exclaimed. The queen hurried after her. "Get back here!"

Foxkit ran after his mother, his tail twitching about excitedly.

Lionpaw shook his head. _At least they seem normal._ He turned towards the camp exit and began to walk. Leafpool was talking quietly to Squirrelflight, but both mollies paused their conversation as they noticed Lionpaw approach.

Squirrelflight smiled. "I'm glad you're finally out of Leafpool's den," she purred. "We've all been worried sick about you."

Lionpaw lowered his gaze and scuffed his paws. "I'm okay," he mumbled.

"I'll tell Brambleflower you're doing better when he gets back from patrolling," Squirrelflight went on. "He said he'd like to hunt with you when you were up."

 _Patrolling?_ Lionpaw pricked his ears. _Is he still deputy? I'd completely forgotten about all that!_ There had been a few Clan meetings called while he had been in the den, but he had hardly taken notice of them. "Is he still—"

"—Deputy?" Squirrelflight guessed. She flicked her tail. "Nothing changed, Lionpaw."

Lionpaw sighed in relief.

Leafpool twitched her whiskers. "How about we go for that walk?" she meowed. "I've still got some herbs to collect."

Squirrelflight nodded. "I'll be here when you get back," she meowed. She gave Lionpaw a quick lick on his muzzle, and he recoiled.

"Aw, come on!" Lionpaw complained. "I'm not a kit anymore!"

Squirrelflight purred in amusement and ran her tail along his side. "Oh, you'll always be a kit to me. Even when you end up being twice my size!" She quickly licked Lionpaw's ear and hurried off before he could complain again.

Leafpool watched her go with an amused twitch of her whiskers. She turned and began to pad out of camp, and flicked her tail for Lionpaw to follow. Lionpaw padded after her. The pair headed into the forest, walking in the direction of the lake.

Lionpaw let out a deep sigh as they walked. His muscles were stiff from lying around for so long, and it felt good to stretch his legs. The day was pleasantly warm, and birdsong rang out throughout the forest. New-leaf was truly in full swing now.

Leafpool stopped first at a small, mossy clearing. "I'll collect some dock leaves first," she explained, with a gesture to a plant with wide leaves. She bent down to nip off a leaf.

Lionpaw twitched his whiskers, and felt a twinge of curiosity. "What's it do?" he asked. "Is it for healing wounds?"

Leafpool looked amused as she straightened up. "I use them to carry other herbs," she meowed.

Lionpaw felt a bit embarrassed. "Oh."

Leafpool picked up a few of the leaves and went on. She halted in a few more areas to get one thing or the other while Lionpaw looked on. She was right—the fresh air was good for him. He was feeling less twitchy and anxious and more like his old self. As they went on, his paws started to itch with the urge to hunt.

 _I forgot how good it feels to be out here,_ Lionpaw thought. He walked faster now, striding on ahead of Leafpool. _She said Ivypaw was fine,_ he told himself. _I need to get over it. I'm going to fall behind in training if I don't snap out of it. I just need to get better control of myself. It won't happen again._

They came to the lakeside and rested for a while on the shore. Lionpaw drank for a few moments, savoring the fresh water. Water from a ball of moss was nothing like a drink right from the source.

Leafpool checked over her collection as they relaxed, and nodded to herself every so often. Eventually, she rolled all of her herbs up with the dock leaves and glanced at Lionpaw. "I have everything I need," she meowed. "We can go back to camp now."

Lionpaw nodded. "Okay." A heartbeat later, he asked, "Is Brightheart in camp? I want to talk to her. I want to go back to training."

"I'm not sure," Leafpool meowed. She smiled softly. "I'm happy to hear that, though. I'm sure Brightheart will be pleased as well." She rose and gingerly picked up her herb bundles and padded back up the slope towards the forest. Lionpaw hurried after her.

* * *

Lionpaw returned to a tense camp. No cat was shouting—everyone was speaking at a normal volume—but their voices were edged with frustration.

"It was a mistake, Ashfur." That was Brambleflower's voice. Lionpaw frowned as he spotted his father sitting beneath the Highledge. Ashfur, Thornclaw, Cloudtail, and Sorreltail were all sitting around him, while other cats looked on.

Ashfur's tail lashed. "You tried to put Thornclaw on both a hunting patrol and the ShadowClan border patrol," he pointed out. "And Sorreltail was just on a patrol this morning, but you nearly sent her to the WindClan border _again_!"

Lionpaw watched as his father flattened his ears. "I see that," Brambleflower growled. "As I said, it was a mistake."

"Let it go, Ashfur," Sorreltail sighed. "It's really not that big of a deal."

Cloudtail's eyes were narrowed. "You've made an awful lot of 'mistakes' lately," he meowed."

Lionpaw curled his lip. _How dare he!_ he thought. He didn't care if Cloudtail was a senior warrior—no cat should talk to their deputy that way! He nearly spoke up himself, but Leafpool touched her tail to his side. "Leave it," she murmured. "Some cats must fight their own battles."

Lionpaw stared suspiciously at his aunt, but kept his mouth shut. _Does she want him to fail, too?_

The conversation carried on. Thornclaw nodded briefly. "Cloudtail's right," he muttered. "You _have_ been doing this quite a few times. Just the other day you forgot that Brackenfur was out hunting and tried to assign him to a patrol."

Firestar padded out from his den. "What's all this about?" he called, as he began to climb down the slope from the den towards the group.

Ashfur lifted his chin. "We're dissatisfied with Brambleflower's ability to organize the Clan," he growled.

"Speak for yourself!" Sorreltail spat. "Every cat makes a mistake once in a while. For StarClan's sake, his son has been in Leafpool's den since the battle with ShadowClan! Of course his mind has been elsewhere."

Brambleflower nodded gratefully to her, but before he could speak, Ashfur cut in once more. "A _deputy_ shouldn't be making so many mistakes!" he insisted. "How is he supposed to lead us one day if he can't even keep track of who he's sent out on patrol?"

Thornclaw and Cloudtail both nodded. Sorreltail just looked dismayed by Ashfur's proclamation.

Firestar narrowed his eyes. "And I suppose _you_ would be ready to take his place, Ashfur?" he asked, sharply.

Ashfur hastily avoided his leader's gaze. "Well, no," he meowed. Hurriedly, he added, "I just think there are cats who could do better."

Cloudtail flicked his tail. "Graystripe did a fine job before," he meowed. "Why not go back to the way things were before?"

Graystripe, who was sitting across camp, looked up at the sound of his name. He was sharing tongues with Millie, and was either oblivious to the argument at hand or had been pointedly ignoring it. "Huh?" he meowed. "What about me?"

Firestar lashed his tail. He was beginning to look frustrated. "Graystripe _was_ a fine deputy," he agreed. "But he was lost for moons. Brambleflower has done a fine job as well. I made plenty of mistakes as deputy myself—"

"Oh, please," Cloudtail meowed. "Bluestar was losing her mind! Your 'mistakes' were just refusing to follow her mouse-brained orders. This is hardly the same!"

Graystripe straightened up. "I'm sorry," he meowed. "But are you talking about deputyship?"

 _StarClan, he really wasn't paying attention,_ Lionpaw thought. Had the situation not been so tense, Lionpaw would have laughed.

Ashfur nodded eagerly. "Don't you want to be deputy again, Graystripe?" he asked. At that questions, the other onlookers began to shift uneasily. It was the question that had been on every cat's mind.

"I've been wondering the same…" whispered Rainwhisker.

"Surely he does?" Poppypaw wondered aloud.

"Oh, StarClan's sake…" Squirrelflight stood and stalked over towards them. "I know why you're trying to usurp Brambleflower," she spat. "And it's not because—"

Ashfur quit her off swiftly. "I want to hear his answer!" he snapped.

Lionpaw frowned. _What was_ that _about?_

Graystripe cleared his throat. Everyone fell silent. Lionpaw stared towards the ragged tom. Graystripe shifted his paws uneasily. "I know you've all been wanting to know what I want," he meowed. "It's been rather obvious, but I understand. However…" he shook his head. "I don't want to be deputy again. I've been replaced, and I understand why and respect it. I haven't been around enough lately to see Brambleflower as deputy, so I can't say whether or not he's skilled at it." He paused and glanced at Millie. "Besides… I have Millie now, and she'll be having our kits soon enough. I'd like to focus on helping raise them. I didn't get the chance to do that properly with Stormfur and Feathertail." There was a slight strain at the mention of his daughter—Lionpaw guessed that he had been told of her death.

A long stretch of silence followed Graystripe's speech. The gray tom chuckled wryly, seemingly at himself. "I'm not as young as I once was, either," he reminded the Clan. "Once Millie's kits are born… well, I'll be ready to retire."

"Retire?" echoed Firestar. The tom's eyes were wide. It was clearly the first he'd heard of it.

"Retire," repeated Graystripe. He smiled fondly at Firestar. "Come on, Firestar, you and I both know we're getting on in our seasons. You've got your extra lives, but I'm getting old and tired. My journey here took a lot out of me, too," he admitted.

After a few moments, Firestar smiled and nodded. "I understand," he said.

Dustpelt spoke up. "If I'm honest, I've been thinking about my own retirement," he meowed. "I'm even older than Graystripe. Of course, I'll wait until Hazelpaw's been made a warrior, but soon after…" the warrior shrugged. "I think I'll be ready by then."

Firestar swung his head around to stare at Dustpelt. "You too?" he asked. He chuckled quietly. "That's a hard thing to imagine."

Things had almost returned to a relaxed state, but Ashfur scraped his claws against the soft earth and growled. "None of this solves the problem at hand!" he snapped. "So what if Graystripe doesn't want to be deputy?" he asked. "There's plenty of other warriors who can replace Brambleflower!"

Firestar whirled around quite suddenly to face him. His eyes narrowed to slits. "I decide who is deputy of this Clan," he growled. "I have put Brambleflower in charge. I trust him to perform his job well, and he has. Unless he dies or steps down, _no cat_ is going to replace him."

 _That's right!_ Lionpaw looked towards his father to see his reaction, but Brambleflower had a strangely distant look in his eye. It took him a few moments to nod at Firestar's words. "Thank you," he meowed.

Firestar lifted his chin. "I want no more of this talk," he declared, speaking to all cats this time. "If you have an issue, you may bring it up with _me_. No more of these public attacks on Brambleflower." He narrowed his eyes and looked pointedly at Ashfur. "Is that clear?"

Ashfur was silent for a few heartbeats before he nodded. "Yes," he grumbled.

"Good," Firestar said. With that, he turned and headed back towards his den.

 _So much for having Brambleflower fight his own battle,_ Lionpaw thought, though he was pleased to hear that Firestar supported him. _I wonder why Ashfur is being such a pain-in-the-tail about it._

Leafpool leaned down to pick up her herbs. "I'm heading back to my den," she meowed. She grabbed her bundles and hurried off.

 _Brightheart!_ Lionpaw remembered. _I need to talk to her about training._ He looked around camp for a few moments, but the warrior wasn't out. Lionpaw headed towards the nursery—she spent much of her free time in there with Daisy nowadays. He stopped just outside and poked his head in.

Sure enough, she was sharing tongues with Daisy. Ferncould and her kits weren't in the den, so the two mollies were alone. "Brightheart?" Lionpaw meowed.

Brightheart glanced up, her eye wide. "Lionpaw!" she exclaimed. "You're up!"

Daisy let out a loud purr. "Oh, I'm so glad to see you're back on your paws!" she meowed. "Ferncloud and I have been so worried about you."

Lionpaw scuffed his paws in embarrassment, but he felt a rush of affection for the queen. "Yeah, I'm starting to feel much better," he said. "I think I'm ready to train again."

"That's great news," Brightheart purred. "We'll join one of the dusk patrols tonight."

Lionpaw grinned. "Great!" he replied, relieved to hear that Brightheart sounded just as eager to return to training. He only vaguely recalled the talk she had tried to have with him after the battle, but it sounded like she was starting to have a change of heart. He felt a twinge in his stomach and realized he had yet to eat. "I'll see you then." "See you later." He turned away.

Cats seemed to be trying to return to their usual business after the previous ordeal. Stormfur and Brook were sharing tongues, Brackenfur and Sorreltail were sharing a squirrel, and Mousefur and Longtail were sunning themselves outside of their den. Lionpaw was surprised to see how easily things had calmed down. He realized quickly that the main instigators had left camp—Ashfur, Thornclaw, and Cloudtail were nowhere to be seen. No wonder things have settled down, Lionpaw thought, before he nodded to himself. _Good. They shouldn't show their faces around for a while. I can't imagine attacking a deputy like that in front of the whole Clan!_

Lionpaw crossed camp, heading straight for the fresh-kill pile. He chose a mouse for himself and took it a few paces away before he settled down to eat.

Brambleflower approached him soon after he began to tuck in. His father stopped in front of him and smiled. "Mind if I join you?" he asked.

Lionpaw swallowed his mouthful and nodded eagerly. "I saw that whole thing with Ashfur and the others," he meowed. "That was so stupid! I can't believe he acted like that."

Brambleflower sat down, but he frowned slightly. "Well… it didn't exactly surprise me," he admitted it. "Though he did have some valid points."

 _What?_ Lionpaw nearly scoffed. "No he didn't!" he retorted. "He just wanted Graystripe to be deputy again."

Brambleflower shook his head. "Ashfur just isn't exactly fond of me," he meowed. "It's less about Graystripe and more about the fact that he doesn't like me."

How could anyone not like Brambleflower? Lionpaw was perplexed by the thought. His father was strong and brave, and he cared about his Clanmates. He was one of their best warriors!

Brambleflower shifted his paws. "Once you're done, would you like to go out and hunt? Just you and me."

Lionpaw brightened up. "Of course!" he purred. He'd hardly gotten any proper time alone with his father since becoming an apprentice.

"Great!" Brambleflower meowed. "I'll be back in a moment. I just need to put some cat in charge of the next patrol before we go out." He rose and padded away, calling out a greeting to Stormfur as he walked.

Lionpaw hurriedly ate the rest of his mouse. He finished just as Brambleflower returned, and Lionpaw stretched and swiped his tongue across his lips. "I'm ready," he said.

"Then let's go," Brambleflower meowed. He led the way towards the thorn tunnel, and Lionpaw followed him back out into the forest.

They were both quiet as they walked. Lionpaw tasted the air every so often, trying to pick up on some sort of prey. _I'm going to show him that I'm a great hunter,_ he thought. _I've just got to find something first._

They rounded a blackberry bush, and Lionpaw stopped as a fresh scent hit him. _Squirrel_! He narrowed his eyes, and a moment later, he spotted it near the trunk of an oak tree. He touched his tail to Brambleflower's leg, then nodded to the squirrel.

"Good find," Brambleflower whispered. "Go on. You can get it."

Lionpaw dropped into a crouch. He pressed his ears flat and kept his tail low, but was careful to not let it drag on the ground. He crept forward, making sure to step lightly as he moved. _Easy does it,_ he thought. He froze once as the squirrel stood and sniffed the air, but it quickly settled back down to chew at an acorn. Lionpaw slunk closer until he was hardly more than a couple fox-lengths away.

 _Now!_ Lionpaw exploded forward in a leap. The squirrel jumped and tried to run for the tree, but it had spotted him too late. He slammed a paw down on its thick tail, then trapped it with the other. He gave it a sharp bite and held it until it went limp.

"Great catch!" Brambleflower called. He padded towards Lionpaw, tail lifted high in the air. "Your stalking was really great, Lionpaw. I'm sure the queens will be happy to have that."

Lionpaw purred and nodded gratefully to Brambleflower. "Thanks!" he meowed.

"Let's sit a while," Brambleflower suggested. He sat down and leaned back.

Lionpaw gazed curiously at him. That distant look was in Brambleflower's eyes again. Lionpaw shifted awkwardly. "Brambleflower?" he meowed.

Brambleflower blinked. "Yes?"

Lionpaw twitched his whiskers. "Is everything okay?"

Brambleflower shifted. "Well… there's been a lot on my mind lately."

Lionpaw stiffened. _Oh, StarClan… did he take me out here to talk about the battle?_ he swallowed. _I just want to stop thinking about it. If I worry too much about it I'll just go back to feeling awful again and—_

"I'm not sure I want to be deputy anymore."

 _What?_ Lionpaw's eyes widened. _I… I can't have heard that right._ "What do you mean?" Lionpaw demanded. "You're a great deputy!"

Brambleflower closed his eyes. "Not everyone thinks so."

Lionpaw couldn't believe his ears. Brambleflower _never_ talked like this. _Who cares what stupid Ashfur thinks?_ "It was just Ashfur!" he protested. "Sorreltail defended you, and Firestar thinks you're great!"

Brambleflower shook his head. "It's more than just that," he said. "And more than Ashfur, too. I'm used to _him_ being a pain. There are a number of senior warriors who clearly have lost faith in me, but—" He sighed. "That's beside the point. It's something I've been thinking about for a while, but _Graystripe_ is who really made me consider it."

"Graystripe?" Lionpaw repeated. Every word was confusing him even more. "He didn't even want to be deputy!"

Brambleflower opened his eyes and nodded. "Exactly. Graystripe knows how he wants to spend his days—with his kin. I've been feeling the same of late."

Lionpaw lashed his tail. _I don't understand._ "So?" he meowed. "Who says a cat can't be deputy and spend time with family?"

Brambleflower sighed again. "Being leader… it's putting your Clan above everything else. Of course you can still have friends and family, but…" He shrugged. "When we left the forest, Firestar couldn't wait for Graystripe, because he had to put the safety of the Clan first. I know he wanted to try and find him, but… it just wasn't an option for him. Who knows what he would have decided if he didn't have the weight of the Clan on his shoulders?"

 _Nothing you're saying is making any sense!_ Lionpaw thought. _What could be better than leading the Clan? Everyone thought Graystripe was dead! It would have been mouse-brained for anyone to wait around for him!_

Brambleflower carried on, seemingly oblivious to Lionpaw's displeasure. "Then the battle happened and you were in Leafpool's den for so long—"

 _There it is,_ Lionpaw thought, flattening his ears.

"—and I wanted to visit you," Brambleflower meowed. "I wanted to make sure you were okay. But I had no time. I had to organize patrols, settle disputes, train Berrypaw… I couldn't pawn those things off on other cats." He bowed his head. "I was too busy thinking about how _you_ were that I kept mixing up patrols. I've been deputy long enough that I shouldn't be making such simple mistakes."

"I don't get it!" Lionpaw blurted. "You're the best cat to be deputy. Nobody else would do as good a job as you are!"

Brambleflower smiled. "I appreciate that," he said. "But that's not true. ThunderClan is full of capable warriors. I want to focus on you and Squirrelflight. I'm worried about you, Lionpaw, especially after that battle." He flicked his tail. "And who knows? Perhaps I'll become deputy again one day. But I don't want to be destroyed by desiring power over everything else…" his voice darkened for a moment. "I've seen cats be ruined by ambition."

 _He's thinking of his own father,_ Lionpaw guessed. Tigerstar was known by all as the most fearsome villain of all time—he had murdered numerous cats to work his way to the top, and then he tried to murder the leader of ThunderClan. After exile, he tormented ThunderClan, took over ShadowClan, and nearly led a war against all Clans until he was killed.

Lionpaw unsheathed his claws, bristling with frustration and confusion. _But it's not the same!_ He thought. _Brambleflower is nothing like that! Why is he being so mouse-brained!_

A more worrying thought came to Lionpaw. _Wait._ He swallowed. _Is… is he stepping down because he's worried_ I'm _like Tigerstar?_ His stomach swirled. _He's doing it because of me!_

Brambleflower touched his tail to Lionpaw's shoulder. "I know you're confused," he meowed. "Maybe you'll understand if you have kits of your own someday. I just want—"

Lionpaw flinched away. "Don't put this on me!" he spat. His mind was whirling. "It's not my fault you're giving up!"

Brambleflower's eyes widened. "Oh, StarClan… no, Lionpaw, that's not what I—"

 _Does he really think I'm like Tigerstar? Is he going to "spend more time" around me because he's afraid of me?_ Lionpaw stepped back. "You're a coward!" he blurted. "I thought you were the best warrior in ThunderClan."

Brambleflower stood up, concern flashing in his eyes. "Lionpaw, please—"

"No!" Lionpaw growled. He turned around. "Leave me alone!" He took off into the woods.

"Lionpaw!" Brambleflower called. "Wait!"

Lionpaw didn't reply. His throat was tightening. He raced through the undergrowth. Hot tears threatened to fall as he ran. _He's trying to make this about family, but it's not about that! He's not worried about himself! He thinks_ I'm _going to be like Tigerstar! All because I lost control in some stupid border fight!_

He ran on without direction. Part of him, deep down, knew Brambleflower meant well—but Lionpaw couldn't help but wonder about his true motives, and the only explanation that made any sense at all hurt him deeply.

* * *

Lionpaw plodded into camp, dragging his paws along as he walked. It was well past sundown. He had missed the patrol that Brightheart had promised to take him on, and he wondered numbly if she would be furious about it. He had planned to slip into the apprentices' den silently and hope she would resolve to chew him out in the morning, but his plan seemed doomed.

Every cat in the Clan was gathered in the center of camp, and Firestar was perched atop the Highledge. The fiery tom looked towards Lionpaw as he entered camp, and everyone turned to stare at him.

 _Great,_ Lionpaw thought. _Everyone's here to see me._

Firestar flicked an ear and looked back down at the gathered Clan. "Brambleflower tells me has something he wishes to share with everyone," he meowed.

 _No!_ Lionpaw thought. His eyes widened. _He's already doing it? So soon?_ He had wondered if Brambleflower had reconsidered, but clearly, he had not.

"Yes," Brambleflower replied. He was closest to the Highledge, sitting to face the Clan. "I've thought for a long time about this—it was not today alone that made my decision."

"What decision?" Rainwhisker called. "What are you talking about?"

"I'd like to get to my nest," Longtail muttered. "Will this take long?"

Brambleflower shifted his paws. "I'm resigning from my position as deputy."

A great cry of shock came from many of the cats. Questions flew from every direction, and it was impossible to tell what any cat was saying. Lionpaw flattened his ears against the din.

"Quiet!" Firestar shouted. "Settle down!" He stared down at Brambleflower, eyes wide. It was the second time he had looked utterly surprised that day—clearly, he was as blindsided as Lionpaw felt. "Brambleflower, are you certain?" he asked. "This is a very serious decision to make. I would not expect that a few cats with concerns would scare you away from the position you've worked well in for so long."

"It's not just that," Brambleflower said. He began to recount all he had said to Lionpaw, though there was a more confident tone to his voice. Lionpaw's heart sank as he realized his reaction must have only further influenced Brambleflower's decision. He went on about his mate and son, before he noted wanting to avoid ambition. Calm returned to the Clan, and a few nodded along understandingly as he spoke.

He finished as he had with Lionpaw. "I saw cats destroyed by ambition," Brambleflower said. "I don't want to be ruined by it, too. You all deserve a deputy who is prepared to focus on the Clan as a whole, but right now, that isn't possible for me."

Firestar was quiet for a long while. His tail flicked back and forth as the leader looked down. He seemed to be deep in thought. Finally, he nodded. "I understand," he meowed.

Lionpaw gritted his teeth. _He won't even try to convince him otherwise?_ He wondered. _He was so eager to defend him earlier, and now he's just going to let him quit!_

"I cannot force a cat to remain in a position they no longer want," Firestar said. He looked almost sorrowful as he spoke. "Although this is a surprising decision, and not one I wanted, I will respect it." He raised his voice and looked to the stars. "Brambleflower is no longer the deputy of ThunderClan. He has returned to the rank of a regular warrior."

Lionpaw looked over the Clan, trying to gauge their reactions. Sorreltail and Birchfall looked disappointed. Many cats simply seemed confused. Ashfur, however, was nodding to himself, eyes gleaming. Lionpaw wondered once more what it was that caused Ashfur to want Brambleflower out of deputyship—especially considering he didn't want the job himself.

Firestar was quiet for a few more heartbeats. He rose and looked up at the sky once more. "I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice."

Everyone was silent. Lionpaw leaned forward. Despite his frustration, he felt the same curiosity as his Clanmates. _Who will it be?_

Firestar looked down at someone in the crowd. "The new deputy of ThunderClan will be Brackenfur."


	12. Chapter 11

Breezepaw raced across the moor. His paws hardly touched the ground as he flew down the slope, chasing after a hare. _Almost there,_ he thought. _Almost!_ Despite being many fox-lengths behind it, he wasn't worried about losing the catch.

As the hare began to sprint up a new slope, Heatherpaw exploded from a thicket of lavender. The hare leaped high in the air and tried to spin around, but her paws hooked into its side and threw it over. The hare struggled desperately, and it nearly wrenched itself free of her paws. Heatherpaw rolled over with it, pummeling her hind legs into it. Finally, Heatherpaw got ahold of its neck in her jaws and bit down.

Breezepaw slowed down. He paused a moment to catch his breath before he called out, "Nice catch!"

Heatherpaw dropped the hare and sat down. "Thanks!" she purred. "We make a good team."

Breezepaw twitched his whiskers and looked as his paws. His heart was still racing, and it wasn't all because of the chase. He was well over a moon into his training now, and many of his sessions were spent training with Heatherpaw. She was everything he wanted to be—strong, smart, daring, and—

"Breezepaw! Heatherpaw!" a sharp voice called. Breezepaw nearly groaned. _Leave it up to Crowfeather to ruin the moment._

Crowfeather and Whitetail came loping down the hill towards them. They joined the apprentices quickly, and Whitetail padded over to sniff at the dead hare. "Great work, you two," she purred. "Breezepaw, you're getting faster every day! I didn't even try to keep up with you."

His mentor's praise hardly affected him. Breezepaw shifted his gaze ever-so-slightly to stare sidelong at Crowfeather. The lean warrior said nothing. _Typical._ Breezepaw's tail tip twitched in irritation. _Why can't he just say_ one _good thing about me? "Wow, Breezepaw, you're doing well in training," or even "Hey, Breezepaw, that was an okay catch." It's like he thinks he would drop dead if he complimented me!_

"Let's see if you can find anything else," Whitetail carried on, oblivious to her apprentice's growing anger. "We'll trail you, but it's up to you to keep finding prey."

"Great!" Heatherpaw meowed, as she leaped quickly to her paws. "Come on, Breezepaw. We can still find another rabbit or two before we turn in."

"Whatever," Breezepaw muttered. His good mood had soured quickly. Crowfeather glanced only briefly at him as the apprentices padded past their mentors. They slowly headed back up the slope in the direction they had come, until the ground flattened out once more.

Heatherpaw lifted her chin and tasted the air. Breezepaw sniffed half-heartedly. _Why even bother?_ He wondered. _It's not like Crowfeather will care if we bring anything back! I bet we could catch a rabbit for every cat in the Clan and he would just sniff and mutter about how skinny they are._

Heatherpaw glanced curiously at him. "You okay?" she asked. "You're tearing up grass with your claws."

Breezepaw glanced down and sheathed his claws. He hadn't even realized he had been doing it. "Fine," he grumbled. He began to walk again. "Let's just find another stupid piece of prey and go home."

Heatherpaw blinked. "Clearly, you're not fine," she meowed, a light teasing note in her voice. She hurried to catch up with him and walked alongside him. She flicked him with her tail. "Come on," she pressed. "I'll just bother you until you tell me."

Breezepaw lashed his tail. _Why do you have to be so nice?_ She was perfect in every way. Her smoky blue eyes stared inquisitively at him, and some of his anger melted away. "Fine," he grunted. "I'm just sick of the way Crowfeather acts."

Heatherpaw looked confused. "What do you mean?"

 _What do YOU mean?_ Breezepaw wondered, as he flattened his ears. "He's horrible!" he growled. "He's always just walking around and complaining and muttering about things. He never pays attention to me—or Jaypaw, for that matter!" He lashed his tail, and his pelt bristled. "I could summon up the whole of StarClan itself and all he would do is scoff and say I didn't do it fast enough."

Heatherpaw blinked, clearly surprised by the ferocity of his declaration. "He's not that bad," she meowed. "He's a great mentor."

 _What?_ Breezepaw's throat tightened. _She doesn't believe me?_ He curled out his claws again as they walked on. It was perfectly obvious to him that Crowfeather was terrible—why didn't Heatherpaw see it?

"Besides," Heatherpaw said. "You should be glad your parents are still around." Her ears flattened as she spoke. "I barely knew mine."

Breezepaw felt a stab of guilt. _How can I complain about parents to_ her _? Heatherpaw's parents are dead!_ "I'm sorry," he quickly meowed. "I didn't mean—"

Heatherpaw shook her head. "It's fine," she said. "It's just hard sometimes, you know? I see everyone else greeting their parents after training, sharing their catches and talking about how well they did…" her throat tightened. "I don't have _anyone_ to do that with."

Breezepaw looked away. _But that's exactly how it is with Crowfeather!_ He thought. _Nightcloud tries to care, but she's a tunneler. It's different for us!_ He lashed his tail. He wanted to say more about Crowfeather, but anything else would have only made him feel worse. Instead, he glanced back at Heatherpaw, and asked, "Do you remember anything about them?"

Heatherpaw had a distant look in her eye. "Not much," she sighed. "I think my father was ginger. Or brown, maybe. I've only got a faint memory of him. I can't remember what my mother looked like… but sometimes I'll catch a whiff of something that reminds me of her scent."

Breezepaw wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't exactly well-versed in how to comfort other cats. He hesitantly brushed his tail against her flank. "I'm sorry," he said. "Why did she fight in the battle?" he asked. "Your mother. If she was a queen, she shouldn't have even been in it."

Heatherpaw shrugged. "You know how things are," she said. "No one likes to talk about it. Brings up bad memories and old arguments." She smiled wryly. "And you can't exactly argue about who should have been leader when the survivor is leader _now_."

 _I wonder what Mudclaw was like,_ Breezepaw thought. He wondered about the battle often. It was the most mysterious part of their history, despite how recently it had happened compared to everything before. "Do you know who they fought for?" he asked.

Heatherpaw nodded. "Onestar," she said. "I don't know who killed them. I don't think it was intentional, though… it was apparently a very chaotic battle."

Breezepaw was tempted to ask more. He parted his jaws, ready to pry, but he noticed the way the fur along her spine was starting to stand up uncomfortably. Heatherpaw's eyes were dull. Breezepaw closed his jaws and felt a stab of guilt. "Sorry," he muttered. "I shouldn't have asked."

Heatherpaw blinked, and her sorrow seemed to have faded. She flicked him good-naturedly with her tail. "I get it," she meowed. "I wonder about the battle and my parents, too." Heatherpaw shrugged. "But why dwell on the past? It doesn't do me any good to wish they were still around. For all I know, they could have been awful."

Breezepaw frowned. _Why dwell on the past? It's what's shaped our Clan! How can you not wonder about why cats did what they did… or what would the Clan would be like today if things had been different?_ His tail flicked as they plodded on. _So many things would be different if Mudclaw became leader or certain cats didn't die._ He was endlessly fond of Heatherpaw, but sometimes, she perplexed him.

Heatherpaw shook herself. "Come on!" she meowed. "I want to find at least another rabbit before we turn in."

Breezepaw nodded. Even though he didn't always understand her, he knew he would follow Heatherpaw anywhere.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon proved to be fruitless for Breezepaw. Heatherpaw had managed to snatch up a pheasant, but Breezepaw missed a few mice and a young hare. Their mentors would catch up every so often, and it only served to further distract Breezepaw.

It was after Breezepaw had lost the hare that Crowfeather lashed his tail and snapped, "Go back to camp. There's no point in wasting time and energy if you're just going to chase off all the prey."

Breezepaw's pelt burned with indignation. "I'm trying!" he snapped. "I'm just having some bad luck."

Whitetail looked as though she were going to speak, but Crowfeather cut her off promptly. "Then take your bad luck elsewhere. Heatherpaw and I will find somewhere else to hunt."

Whitetail shot him a stern look. "Crowfeather, he's not going to learn any better by sitting around camp—"

"—Then figure out what to do with him," Crowfeather retorted. "Not my problem. He's your apprentice and he's holding back Heatherpaw."

Heatherpaw's eyes flashed. "I caught a bird," she meowed, but no one took any notice.

Whitetail lashed her tail. "Fine. Do as he says, Breezepaw."

Breezepaw whirled around to face his mentor, eyes wide with disbelief. _You're supposed to be my mentor!_ He thought. _Why won't you stand up for me?_ His gaze flickered from face to face—Crowfeather's was cold, Heatherpaw sympathetic, and Whitetail plain irritated—but no one said anything. He gritted his teeth and spun around, before he broke off into a run.

 _I hate this stupid Clan!_ Breezepaw thought, fury burning in his chest. _I hate stupid Crowfeather and stupid Whitetail and stupid hares! Even Heatherpaw didn't try to help me!_ He wanted to yowl in frustration, but all his breath was spent to running. Every hair stood on end. Breezepaw raced up a slope, narrowing his eyes against the tall grass. He exploded forward as he reached the top, a deep growl building in his throat.

Then he stopped.

Breezepaw had reached the camp, and a number of cats were staring up at him. Though camp was far from full, there were still quite a few cats that had certainly seen him launching himself up the slope like the whole of ThunderClan was after him.

"What's wrong, Breezepaw?" called Harepaw.

"Are you alright?" Dewspots meowed.

Breezepaw felt his fur start to flatten. His Clanmates did care.

Ashfoot stood up, eyes wide with concern. "Is there an attack?"

Breezepaw's anger flared up again. _Of course. Not_ really _worried about me. Just about our precious territory._ "No," he spat. He turned around, ready to run off once more. He needed to be away from everyone and their stares.

Then Nightcloud was at his side. "Come on," she murmured. "Let's walk." Her soft pelt brushed against his.

Part of Breezepaw wanted to refuse, but he looked into his mother's eyes, and his anger gave in to his kitlike desire for his mother's affection. His rage still burned inside, but his pelt smoothed and he lowered his chin. _She_ wasn't the one that always ignored or scorned him. Nightcloud pressed against him and guided him back out of camp. They rounded the boundary, heading upland from the lake.

Once they were out of earshot of camp, Nightcloud's burning amber gaze was on him. "What happened?" she demanded. There was a sharp edge to her voice, though Breezepaw knew she held no anger towards him.

" _Crowfeather_ happened!" Breezepaw spat. His tail whipped from side to side. They were away from camp, away from patrols, away from everything and everyone—he wasn't worried about being quiet or obedient anymore. "It's always _him_! I wish Heatherpaw had a different mentor. We work great together, but then Crowfeather comes in and always finds _something_ bad to say!"

Nightcloud drew herself up, outrage sparking in her eyes. Breezepaw couldn't resist the rush of satisfaction. Jaypaw, despite his matched distaste for Crowfeather's attitude, always seemed reserved to the fact that their father cared little for them. Heatherpaw clearly didn't see anything wrong with the way Crowfeather acted. And Hollypaw… well, _Hollypaw_ thought Crowfeather was the best warrior in the Clans! It was Nightcloud that Breezepaw could rely on to react properly to his father's behavior. She had no reservations when it came to snarling and spitting at him, even if he was the father of her kits.

"What did he say to you?" Nightcloud hissed. Her claws unsheathed and glinted in the sunlight. "What did he say this time?"

Breezepaw was urged on by Nightcloud's reaction. "You know he acts!" he growled. "Always scoffing to himself when I make a misstep or saying my catches were sloppy… or just ignoring me altogether!" He scored his claws through the grass. "Then I missed a few catches and he sent me off back to camp like I was a stupid kit on my first day out of the nursery!" His ears folded back. "Whitetail didn't even stand up for me! Even _Heatherpaw_ was no help."

Nightcloud drew back her lips and snarled. "I'll make sure I have a _chat_ with him when he gets back to camp!" Her thick tail flipped and thumped loudly as it hit the ground. Her twisted expression suddenly melted away, and was replaced with a distraught look of concern. "Oh, my poor son," she fretted, before she reached out with a paw and tugged Breezepaw towards her. He shifted closer and buried his muzzle in her shoulder. He breathed in her earthy scent—she had clearly been in the tunnels today. Her foreleg was draped over his back, holding him close to her chest. Nightcloud rested her muzzle on his head. "You deserve far better than this."

 _You're right._ Breezepaw clenched his teeth together. Hot tears burned in his eyes. _I do._

* * *

They sat there for some time, speaking no more, until the sun began to set. Nightcloud led Breezepaw home, and the young tom quietly padded after his mother. It was not her touch or her adoring words that soothed him, but her anger. Breezepaw _needed_ other cats to share his anger, and when his mother did, it was a strange relief to him. He was not as in-tune with emotion as Jaypaw seemed to be, but even he could still practically smell Nightcloud's anger rolling off of her as they walked.

Breezepaw padded over the slope that bordered camp and stared down into the hollow. The camp was full, now. Cats were sharing tongues or eating fresh-kill, while Darkfoot and Morningflower were telling Gorsetail's kits a story to the side of camp. Antpaw and Emberpaw were cleaning grit from their claws while Harepaw and Leafpaw tussled nearby. Kestrelpaw and Barkface were laying out fresh herbs on a flat stone outside their den to dry. _Business as usual._

Breezepaw's gaze finally settled on Crowfeather. His father was with the group of fellow moor runners—Tornear, Runningbrook, Dewspots… even Whitetail was still sitting by him, chuckling at whatever story Tornear seemed to be in the middle of. His heart sank. _How can she still be around him?_ He wondered. _He's so awful!_

"Crowfeather!" Nightcloud yowled.

Most cats jolted and looked up. Crowfeather flattened his ears and stared at Nightcloud. Willowclaw and Webfoot muttered something to each other, and Willowclaw pushed her rabbit between them. Jaypaw, who had been sitting behind his mentor, lifted his head and frowned. Hollypaw seemed to be nowhere in sight.

"What?" Crowfeather called, eyes narrowed. The other moor runners slowly edged away. No cat wanted to be in striking range when Crowfeather and Nightcloud had a spat.

Nightcloud hurried down the slope, tail lashing about as she began to bristle. Breezepaw trailed after her, just a few pawsteps behind. "My son tells me you've been awful to him!" she spat. "Scorning him, ignoring him… sending him off to camp like you're Clan leader!" She curled her lips. "What is _wrong_ with you?"

Crowfeather stared back evenly, but Breezepaw noticed his hackles beginning to rise. Crowfeather was only slightly better than Nightcloud at keeping his cool—it wouldn't be long before he was yowling too. "He was ruining _my_ apprentice's efforts," he retorted. "If he were any other apprentice, I would have done the same thing."

"Then show him how to do better!" Nightcloud snarled. "Or tell him when he does _something_ right!"

 _Yes!_ Breezepaw's tail flicked about as he watched. _Exactly!_

"I'm not his mentor!" Crowfeather snapped.

"Then don't order him around like you are!"

"I'm his father!"

"Then _act like it!_ "

Their voices had risen to shouts. Crowfeather was standing, and both cats were bristling like hedgehogs. Breezepaw kneaded his paws and Nightcloud leaned closer.

"I'll act how _I_ see fit," Crowfeather spat.

"Why, you—" Nightcloud lifted a paw, claws unsheathed.

"Nightcloud!" Onestar's yowl made all cats jump. He stood at the entrance to camp, Hollypaw at his side. "Crowfeather! Stand _down_!"

Breezepaw turned to face his leader. _What will he have to say about it? Surely Onestar won't be fine with Crowfeather kicking me out of training!_

"Onestar!" Nightcloud hissed. "Tell Crowfeather he can't banish my son from training!"

Onestar's gaze flickered over the Clan. He looked tired. "Your fights with Crowfeather should not be my problem," he grumbled. "Just keep yourselves from tearing each other apart! You're not just Clanmates, you're _mates_ , for StarClan's sake!" He lashed his tail, before he muttered something to Hollypaw. "Stop screeching at each other and find something else to do." He turned and headed for his den.

 _That's it?_ Breezepaw scowled. _He didn't even listen to her! He didn't even ask what happened!_ He caught Hollypaw's glance. Her eyes were wide, as though she had been startled by the fight.

Nightcloud snarled wordlessly at Crowfeather before she turned on her heels and returned to the tunnelers. Webtfoot scuffed his paws and pushed a rabbit back towards Willowclaw. Breezepaw flattened his ears. _Were they betting on how it would turn out? Fox-hearts!_

Crowfeather sniffed loudly and turned away towards the moor runners. Hollypaw hurried towards his and sat down next to him. Breezepaw loathed the way his features immediately softened.

There was a clear split in the Clan as there always was—moor runners on one side of the camp, tunnelers on the other. Breezepaw clenched his jaw and walked towards the fresh-kill pile. He didn't belong with any of them. Not really. The groups stuck to themselves at meal time. Breezepaw wasn't a tunneler, and he certainly wasn't going to sit with the group that supported his father. He snatched a quail and stiffly walked to an empty spot in camp, closer to the nursery.

 _I'm alone. I'm always going to be alone. Even Heatherpaw is with_ them _. Why can't cats just be on my side?_ Breezepaw leaned down and tore out a mouthful of feathers. He spat them out and took a bite of meat.

Soft pawsteps came towards him. Breezepaw glanced up, ready to snap at whoever dared to come bother him, but he froze as he saw Jaypaw standing before him.

"Hey," Jaypaw grunted. The tabby tom sat down and frowned. "Want to share?"

Breezepaw pushed it towards him. _Jaypaw is on my side,_ he reminded himself. _We're the same. Both hated by Crowfeather._ "Here."

Jaypaw crouched down. He sighed softly. "I don't know what he did this time," he meowed. "But I'm sorry it happened."

Breezepaw's tense muscles relaxed as his brother took a bite of the bird. _He chose to come sit with me instead of the tunnels. I still have Jaypaw._ He leaned in and bit off a chunk of meat. _I'll always have Jaypaw at my side. That's all that matters._


	13. Chapter 12

Dust filled the training hollow as Hazelpaw and Honeypaw rolled over and over, wrestling for dominance. The two mollies seemed matched in skill, but Hazelpaw was older and stronger, and that gave her the edge over Honeypaw.

Lionpaw watched as Hazelpaw deftly flipped the younger apprentice onto her back. She wrapped her forelegs around Honeypaw's neck and began to pummel her soft belly with her hind paws.

"Ow!" Honeypaw wailed. "I give, I give!"

Hazelpaw released her, and both apprentices rolled over and onto their paws.

"Great work, Hazelpaw," Dustpelt meowed. "You're getting stronger every day."

Brambleflower nodded. "You're both getting older," he meowed, this time addressing both Hazelpaw and Berrypaw. "It can't be long before Firestar gives the word for your assessments to happen."

Berrypaw kneaded his paws eagerly. "Yes!" he practically yowled. "It's about time! I'm going to be the best warrior ThunderClan has ever seen!"

Brambleflower twitched his whiskers in amusement. "Maybe so, but until then, you're still an apprentice. Let's keep training."

Sandstorm nudged Honeypaw. "You and your sisters will be warriors soon after them, too."

Lionpaw and Brightheart were back in the training hollow with Hazelpaw, Berrypaw, and Honeypaw, as well as their mentors. Lionpaw had sat on the sidelines for the whole session, just watching as the other apprentices practiced their moves and had mock battles.

Brightheart glanced down at Lionpaw. "Think you're ready to try again?" she asked.

Lionpaw blinked. It had been four days since he returned to training, and Brightheart had yet to let him spar with the other apprentices again. They would simply observe, and Lionpaw would practice moves alone afterwards. It bored him greatly, even if he did understand the caution.

His gaze slid towards Brambleflower, and he narrowed his eyes. It was four days since Brambleflower stepped down—four days since Brackenfur had taken his place as deputy.

To his credit, Brackenfur seemed to fall easily into the role. He thoughtfully doled out the patrols, checked in on the apprentices, and kept his regular meals with his mate, Sorreltail.

But that was… it. Brackenfur still seemed like any other warrior. He didn't carry the same air of leadership around him that Brambleflower had. His orders sounded more like suggestions at best. Sure, he was respected as a senior warrior… but he didn't feel like he was leading the Clan.

Lionpaw wrinkled his nose as he stared at Brambleflower. _You would have been a better leader than he ever could be. And you threw it away! All because you're a coward._

"Lionpaw?" Brightheart meowed. She pawed gently at him.

Lionpaw shook himself. "Sorry." He glanced up at his mentor. "Sure. I'm ready."

Brightheart nodded and turned to face the center of the clearing. "Lionpaw will go next," she meowed. "Who's going to fight him?"

A beat of uncomfortable silence followed her question. Hazelpaw became suddenly occupied with cleaning the dirt from her chest fur. Honeypaw became terribly interested in her own paws.

Lionpaw swallowed. _Are they… afraid of fighting me?_ The thought unsettled him. His stomach swirled uncomfortably.

Berrypaw scoffed loudly. "Aw, you're a bunch of mice." He stepped forward. "I'll fight Lionpaw _and_ win!"

Lionpaw's discomfort was gone in a flash. He narrowed his eyes. _I'll beat you again, you proud fox!_ Even if Berrypaw was an annoying furball, he felt a begrudging prick of respect. _At least someone in the hollow isn't a mouse-heart._

The two toms stepped forward. Berrypaw's eyes were narrowed in determination. Before the ShadowClan battle, Lionpaw had gotten unbeaten in training sessions. Lionpaw lashed his tail. _Nothing's changed. I don't care if you're about to be a warrior… I'll still win!_

"Ready?" Brambleflower meowed. Lionpaw caught a flash of uncertainty in his eyes, though his voice did not waver. "Begin."

Lionpaw charged forward, then leaped, paws outstretched to grab Berrypaw. The older tom hopped to the side and hit him hard on the shoulder. Lionpaw managed to land without falling, but his landing was sloppy, legs spread out like a duck. Berrypaw surged forward and rammed his head into his side, bowling Lionpaw over.

Lionpaw rolled with the blow, and when he was on his back, he kicked out and hit Berrypaw in the chest. The other apprentice stumbled back, and Lionpaw seized the opportunity to roll over and spring back up. He darted forward, lifted a paw to deal Berrypaw a dizzying blow across the face, and—

He froze.

Ivypaw's mangled body flashed in his mind. Her face torn to ribbons, her pelt matted with blood. She shrieked in his memory, pleading for someone to help her.

 _Bam_!

All of the air went out of Lionpaw's lungs as Berrypaw crashed into his chest, knocked him over, and slammed his forepaws into Lionpaw's belly. Winded and dazed, there was nothing Lionpaw could do as Berrypaw pressed a paw into his throat.

"Yes!" Berrypaw crowed. "I won!"

"Whoa!" Honeypaw meowed. "I don't think anyone has ever beaten Lionpaw!"

Hazelpaw shook her head. "I've never seen him go down."

Brambleflower padded forward. "Great job, Berrypaw. Lionpaw, are you okay?"

Lionpaw flinched away as Berrypaw let him him. "I'm fine!" he snapped. "Just leave me alone. I'm out of practice."

Brambleflower looked hurt by the ferocity of Lionpaw's tone, but he nodded. "Sorry."

Sandstorm flicked her tail. "I think we've had them practicing battle moves long enough. Why don't we send them out to do some hunting?"

Dustpelt nodded. "I agree. How about they split up? Hazelpaw and Honeypaw, and then Lionpaw and Berrypaw?"

 _What_? Lionpaw shot a glare towards Berrypaw. _Why do I have to hunt with him?_ Frustration gnawed at him. The other apprentices were right—he had never lost before, let alone so quickly. _I need to stop thinking about Ivypaw._ _Leafpool said she's fine!_ He shook himself. _Maybe hunting will help._ Lionpaw glanced at Berrypaw, who hardly seemed to care about the hunting orders as he pranced around boasting about his victory. _So long as he learns to shut up and not mess up my hunting!_

After a while, Berrypaw settled down, at the apprentices split up. Honeypaw and Hazelpaw headed towards the ShadowClan border, while Berrypaw and Lionpaw slowly headed down towards the lake.

Lionpaw was quiet the whole way. He didn't particularly want to talk to Berrypaw, who kept shooting him odd glances as they walked, and he wasn't pleased with his own performance in training.

Eventually, Berrypaw broke the silence. "Are you… okay?"

Lionpaw glanced sharply at him. Berrypaw's face was devoid of his usual arrogance. It seemed like a genuine question. Lionpaw looked away and lashed his tail. "Just fine."

Berrypaw frowned. "No you aren't. Not that I didn't enjoy beating you… you've always been a better fighter than everyone else. I don't get how you do it, but no one's beaten you before. You looked like you just spaced out in the middle of the fight."

Lionpaw shrugged. "I was distracted." _Can't you just let it go?_

"By what?" Berrypaw asked.

Lionpaw looked over at him, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why do _you_ care?"

Berrypaw looked surprised by his hostility. His stumpy tail twitched. "You're my Clanmate," he meowed. "I'm not allowed to be concerned?"

Lionpaw looked down at his paws, and felt an uncomfortable prick of guilt. Was Berrypaw really more than the arrogant furball he so frequently acted like? He glanced away. "I didn't think you were the kind of cat that cared."

Berrypaw shrugged. "I dunno. I don't usually if other cats are acting weird. But freezing up in the middle of a fake battle is hard to miss." He blinked. "So…?"

Lionpaw sighed. "I keep thinking about that ShadowClan apprentice I fought in the battle," he meowed. "Ivypaw."

"Oh." Berrypaw frowned. "Yeah. I wasn't in the battle, but I heard it got pretty bad. That's why you were out of training for a few days, right?"

Lionpaw nodded. "Yeah. I don't really know what happened. I just… lost control. It really shook me up."

Berrypaw's gaze hardened. He glanced over his shoulder and nodded towards his tail. "You know how I got this?" he asked.

"No," Lionpaw replied. "Daisy never mentioned."

Berrypaw curled his lip. "I snuck out of camp once when I was a kit. I just wanted to explore our new home. I wandered out towards ShadowClan and got caught in a fox trap. They're gone now, but they were these awful loops of wire—" At Lionpaw's confused look, Berrypaw added, "—they're sort of like vines, but really thin and sharp. It didn't get me around the neck, but it snapped right around my tail. I was screaming and wailing and bleeding everywhere…" He let out a growl. "And a ShadowClan patrol came to the border to mark it and saw me. You know what they did?" Berrypaw's claws unsheathed. "They watched. Some of them _laughed_. They didn't help me. They let me writhe about on the ground bleeding half to death. I couldn't have been older than three moons old, and they didn't care."

Lionpaw felt sick. _That's against the warrior code! You're supposed to help any kit in need… how could they?_ "That's… _awful_."

Berrypaw nodded. "I don't mind not having much of a tail. I'm used to it by now. But knowing that they would enjoy watching kits die? Watching _me_ die? It makes me sick." He gave Lionpaw a hard look. "Whatever you did to that ShadowClan cat, she probably deserved it. ShadowClan are a bunch of rogues who don't care about the warrior code. They'd watch us all die painfully if we gave them a good view."

 _Maybe he's right._ Lionpaw flicked an ear. _Maybe they are just a bunch of fox-hearts. For all I know, Ivypaw could be horrible. StarClan, they were trying to steal our territory! Now… now they'll think twice before they try to trespass and start another fight._

"Thanks, Berrypaw," Lionpaw meowed.

"Shh…" Berrypaw had stopped walking and was now staring straight up. "Squirrel."

Lionpaw glanced up. In a low whisper, he said, "I'll climb up and try to chase it down to you."

Berrypaw nodded. "My thoughts exactly."

Lionpaw crept towards the tree, a new sense of determination coming up over him. _Maybe Berrypaw really isn't that bad after all._

* * *

Lionpaw and Berrypaw returned to camp a bit after sun-high. Lionpaw had two squirrels, both dangling from his jaws by their tails, while Berrypaw had a very plump pigeon. They hadn't talked much more since catching the first squirrel, but the air seemed to have cleared between them, and Lionpaw found that he didn't mind the tom's company much when he wasn't trying to show off for everyone.

Honeypaw and Hazelpaw both seemed to have returned, and they were helping Cinderpaw to move a load of fresh moss towards the nursery. Cinderpaw glanced up as the toms padded towards the fresh-kill pile. "Mind giving us a paw?" she meowed. "Millie is moving into the nursery today, and we've got to make fresh nests for Ferncloud and Daisy."

Lionpaw bobbed his head in agreement, before he hurried towards the pile and dropped his squirrels. "Have they eaten?" he asked.

Hazelpaw nodded. "Yeah, we made sure they got prey. They've all gone out for a walk, anyway. Ferncloud and Daisy are showing Millie around some more, I guess."

Lionpaw and Berrypaw padded towards them. Lionpaw had yet to speak much to Millie, but she seemed nice enough, and she must be a strong cat, if she had helped Graystripe on his journey as much as he said he did.

They began to carry the bundles of fresh moss towards the nursery. It was empty inside—the old bedding seemed to have already been pulled out.

"Where are the kits?" Berrypaw asked.

Hazelpaw glanced out of the nursery. "In the elder's den. Graystripe's been spending a lot of time there, and Foxkit and Icekit seem to love his stories."

Honeypaw sighed wistfully. "I wish I had the time to hear his stories. He must know so much about the world! He travelled all over just to find us."

Berrypaw shrugged. "Dustpelt and Sandstorm trained with him. I don't know what he can tell us that they haven't already said before."

Lionpaw privately agreed. He was over the whole Graystripe excitement. _It's not like he's going to be joining us in battle or training. He said he's ready to retire. We're never going to see him in action as the hero everyone says he was._ He no longer had to worry if Graystripe was going to replace Brambleflower—after all, Brambleflower had taken care of that himself when he chose to quit being deputy.

They worked together to build three fresh nests. The nests were done quickly between the five of them, and they were soon able to leave the nursery again.

"I'm ready to eat," Cinderpaw meowed. "I spent all morning hunting, and then it took forever to get all that moss for the—" she broke off quite suddenly and started coughing. Her fit lasted for a few moments before she straightened up and winced.

Honeypaw touched her tail to Cinderpaw's shoulder. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Cinderpaw smiled. "I'm fine," she rasped. "I think my throat is just a little dry."

Honeypaw frowned. "Want to go to the stream for a drink, then?"

Cinderpaw shook herself a bit. "Yeah… let's go."

"See ya," Berrypaw meowed. "Come on. I want to eat that pigeon. It looks too good to pass up!"


	14. Chapter 13

Hollypaw slipped into the medicine cat's den. Her ability had been on her mind constantly, and she had yet to find a free moment to slip away to meet with Fern or practice her shifting. Her next best idea was to talk to _someone_ about it… but how?

Kestrelpaw was alone in the den. It was very small and cramped inside, as the medicine cats rarely actually used it for sleeping. He glanced back at her as she padded in. "Oh, Hollypaw!" he purred. "What can I do for you?" Before she could speak, he looked concerned. "Oh, StarClan, you're not sick too, are you?"

"Sick?" Hollypaw echoed. "No. Who's sick?"

Kestrelpaw sighed and turned around to face her fully. "One of Gorsetail's kits is sick," he said. "Sedgekit. It's just a bit of kit-cough—or, at least, that's what Barkface says." He shook himself. "Anyway, did you need something?"

Hollypaw's mind was racing as she sat down. "Er… I just… had this weird dream, and I thought maybe a medicine cat could help me… figure it out."

Kestrelpaw pricked his ears and straightened. "Ooh, a dream? I _love_ talking about dreams. What was yours about?"

"Um…" Hollypaw shifted. _How do I put it without sounding nuts?_ "Well, I was out in the territory, just, y'know, hunting or whatever…" she shifted her paws. "Then I ran into a fox. And when I was getting ready to attack it, _I_ turned into one too!"

Kestrelpaw laughed. "That's funny. Did anything else happen?"

Hollypaw twitched her whiskers. "Yeah, I could… understand it when it talked."

Kestrelpaw leaned closer, eyes bright. "Did it say anything interesting?"

Hollypaw's ears felt warm. _This sounds so dumb! I don't know how this is going to help_. "Um… no… I don't remember anything. I just know that I could understand it."

Kestrelpaw sat back on his haunches. "Eh, it doesn't sound like it meant anything. Sometimes we just have weird dreams. Plus, with all the fox scent all the warriors have been talking about, it's probably just been on your mind and it ended up making for a weird dream."

Hollypaw shifted her paws awkwardly. "Yeah… you're probably right. Sorry to bother you." _This was pointless. What did I think would happen?_ She wasn't annoyed with Kestrelpaw—it wasn't his fault that her concern with a dream about shapeshifting sounded ludacris.

"Don't worry about it," Kestrelpaw purred. "If you have any other weird dreams, you can tell me about them. I wouldn't be worried unless it's reoccuring and the fox starts saying weird things. StarClan doesn't usually send prophecies or omens to regular warriors, but that doesn't mean it's never happened."

 _I had a StarClan warrior talk to me,_ Hollypaw thought. _What is going on?_ She shook her head and stood. "I'll let you get back to work," she meowed. "Thanks for listening."

* * *

A few days passed. One by one, more WindClan cats began to fall ill. Sedgekit's condition worsened, and she had to be moved from the nursery to Barkface's den.

Jaypaw listened as Gorsetail tried to argue with the elderly medicine cat for the third or fourth time that day.

"She's my kit, Barkface!" Gorsetail meowed. "I have a right to see her!"

Barkface sighed heavily. "She's very ill, Gorsetail. I can't have healthy cats coming near the sick ones. If anything changes, you'll be the first to know."

Gorsetail's paws kneaded the ground. "If she's ill, she should have her mother with her!"

"Think of your other kits!" Barkface argued. "Sedgekit could give the illness to you, and even if you don't get sick, your other kits could come down with it. It's my duty as medicine cat to make sure that this is contained."

Jaypaw's ear twitched as he heard Antpaw cough quietly. _You're doing a terrible job,_ he thought. He headed for the fresh-kill pile and picked up a mouse. Tornear was sitting beside it, looking over the prey. His breathing was labored, as though there was something wrong with his throat or lungs.

Jaypaw turned his face sharply in Tornear's direction. "Don't touch anything!" he snapped.

Tornear bristled. "Excuse me?" he growled.

"You're sick," Jaypaw retorted. "I can hear it in your breathing."

Kestrelpaw's voice came from behind them. "What's that? Who's sick now?"

"I'm not sick!" Tornear exclaimed, clearly exasperated.

"Sit still," Kestrelpaw meowed. The medicine cat apprentice brushed by Jaypaw and leaned towards Tornear. He pressed his ear to Tornear's chest. "Breathe."

Tornear took in a deep breath and exhaled. Jaypaw could hear once more the wavering in his breath. "You hear that, right?" he asked.

Kestrelpaw leaned back and nodded. "I sure do. Jaypaw's right. Go see Barkface now. It's better that we caught it early. Treatment will be easy."

Tornear groaned quietly. "Oh, for StarClan's sake… fine. I'll get Barkface's opinion on this." He turned away with a lash of his tail. "We'll see what he has to say!"

Kestrelpaw snorted quietly and turned to face Jaypaw. "Senior warriors, I swear! They might be wise and strong, but you tell them they need to take a rest and it's like they're kits again."

Jaypaw chuckled dryly. _He's right._

"That was a good catch, Jaypaw," Kestrelpaw meowed. "You know, you would make a good medicine cat!"

Jaypaw's amusement vanished, and he bristled. "No!" he snapped. "I'm going to be a warrior!"

Kestrelpaw didn't seem phased. He flicked Jaypaw with his tail. "Sorry. I was just kidding! You just have a good pair of ears and a strong nose, that's all." He sat down and pawed lightly at Jaypaw. "I know some of the other warriors don't believe in you, but I think you'll be a great warrior, Jaypaw. You can hear _and_ smell better than any other cat."

Jaypaw's fur smoothed out. He was strangely touched by Kestrelpaw's words. "Er… thanks, Kestrelpaw." He twitched his whiskers. "Sorry for snapping."

Kestrelpaw purred. "It's okay. You know, I could use your help, though, if you wouldn't mind. Getting all the sick cats together isn't easy when they try their hardest to avoid the medicine cats' den at any cost."

Jaypaw shifted his paws awkwardly. "What do you need from me?" _I don't want to be stuck doing medicine cat chores!_

Kestrelpaw flicked his tail. "Have you noticed any other sick cats?" he asked. "You seemed to catch on to Tornear pretty easily."

Jaypaw sniffed the air, trying to locate Antpaw again. "Antpaw, but it seems he's left."

Kestrelpaw sighed. "I'll have to get him when he comes back from training. StarClan knows how you tunnelers get around underground! Barkface took me down there _once_ and I thought I would never find my way out." The tom shuddered. "Tunnels give me the creeps."

Jaypaw shrugged. "It's not so bad once you're used to it. I already can't see, so it's not much different for me."

Kestrelpaw's whiskers twitched. "It must have been an easy adjustment, huh?"

Jaypaw leaned closer, trying to get an understanding of what Kestrelpaw was thinking. He couldn't help but be suspicious—he knew perfectly well how his Clanmates liked to whisper about him behind his back when they thought he couldn't hear. However, he sensed nothing but genuine curiosity. Jaypaw nearly sighed at himself. _Relax. He's just being friendly._ "Yeah… I thought I wanted to be a moor runner until I went under. Then… I just realized how easy it was for me in the tunnels."

Kestrelpaw purred. "Well, that's great!" He stood up. "I could still use some help, though, if you're up for it. Barkface is busy tending to sick cats and I need to collect more herbs for the store. Two cats can carry more than one!"

Jaypaw wrinkled his nose. _Picking smelly herbs? Yuck! But…_ he flicked his tail. Willowclaw had already dismissed him from duties for the rest of the day—her mate, Dewspots, was one of the cats to fall ill, and the elders and queens had already been tended to. _I guess it wouldn't kill me to help Kestrelpaw for a while._ Jaypaw nodded. "Sure. I'll help."

"Fantastic!" Kestrelpaw hurried past him, heading straight for the camp exit. "Come on, Jaypaw. We'll be done before you know it!"

* * *

Hollypaw padded along behind Onestar and Runningbrook. The two older cats were deep in conversation, going on about the illness that had struck WindClan.

"What'll happen to Sedgekit?" Runningbrook wondered. "She can hardly lift her head, poor mite."

Onestar shook his head sadly. "Barkface says her fate is in the paws of StarClan," he meowed. "We've dealt with Greencough before, but it's harder on a kit to recover from."

Runningbrook sighed heavily, even as she nodded. "That's true. Hopefully she'll recover… losing a kit is hard on everyone."

Hollypaw's ears pricked as she heard pawsteps. They had been walking towards the lake, but the sounds seemed to be coming from the direction of the RiverClan border. _Intruders?_ She wondered. Neither Onestar nor Runningbrook seemed to have taken notice, as both were still talking.

"Onestar!" Hollypaw called. "Someone's coming!"

Onestar and Runningbrook fell silent. They both turned in the direction of the sound—someone was coming their way, concealed from sight by the tall grass.

"Who's there?" Onestar demanded. "Show yourself!"

The rustling paused for a heartbeat, before the cat continued closer without speaking.

Hollypaw tasted the air. _I don't recognize the scent,_ she thought. _They smell weird!_

A small voice shrieked, "Put me _down_!"

Runningbrook bristled. "That's a kit!" She growled, before she darted into the tall grass. There was a _thud_ as she collided with whoever was approaching, and another squeal from the kit.

Onestar and Hollypaw rushed after her. They didn't have to go far—it seemed the stranger was only a few fox-lengths away. The grass was flattened where he had tussled with Runningbrook, who was now pinning him to the ground. The stranger was a big gray-and-white tom, and beside him was a bristling tortoiseshell kit.

"What are you doing on WindClan territory?" Runningbrook demanded.

Although the gray-and-white tom looked muscular, he didn't try to fight. He looked rather irritated as he replied, "I was coming to see your Clan before you so rudely attacked me!"

Onestar nodded towards the kit. She was a big thing, certainly at least four moons old. "Then why are you carrying a kit? She didn't sound like she was fond of you."

"Leave me alone!" The kit growled. Hollykit stared at her. She had assumed the kit was shaking with fear, but she seemed more angry than anything else. "I don't know any of you!"

"Will you let me up?" The stranger asked. "Great stars, I'm not here to steal your blasted prey! I have plenty of my own back at the horseplace."

Onestar frowned. "You're from the horseplace?"

"Yes!" the tom replied, clearly exasperated. "I'm Smoky."

Onestar flicked his tail. "Let him up."

Runningbrook shot her leader a confused look, but she obliged. Smoky was quick to dart back and sit up. The kit moved as though to run, but he pressed a paw on her back to hold her in place.

"So?" Onestar asked. "Why have you come here, with a struggling kit, no less?"

Smoky inclined his head towards the kit. "I was out for a walk when I found this one wandering about, starving and whining. I think she lost her mother—she certainly doesn't seem to have any idea where she went, and no one came looking for her."

The kit scowled at him. "I don't have a mother!" she growled. "I can take care of _myself_!"

"No, you can't," Smoky grunted. "I let her stay in the horseplace for a few days, but I can't take care of her. Any kits get taken away by twolegs after a while, and Floss and I are enough to manage the rats." He tightened his grip on her as she squirmed. "I know how you Clan cats take care of kits, so I thought I'd bring her to you. My mate left the horseplace some time ago to live with ThunderClan because she didn't want to give up our kits."

Runningbrook narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Why not take her there, then?"

 _She has a point,_ Hollypaw thought. _Wouldn't he want to go there?_

Smoky shrugged. "Truth be told, I just don't want to face Daisy. We left things… on an uncomfortable note." He flicked his tail. "I don't really care for your Clans' politics, anyhow. I don't care where this kit goes, I'd just like to see her somewhere she can get a decent meal and not die in the wilderness, y'know?"

Onestar looked thoughtful. "WindClan doesn't usually accept rogue kits," he muttered.

Hollypaw shifted. _The code doesn't say we can't, though,_ she thought. _It just says we should reject kittypet things._

Runningbrook leaned towards Onestar. "She's feisty," she meowed. "She could make a good warrior, with the right training. Plus, what with the sickness and all… I don't want to be pessimistic, but if we lose cats, we need all the paws we can get."

Onestar flicked his tail. He was silent as he absorbed what Runningbrook had said.

Hollypaw stepped closer to her mentor. "The warrior code says we shouldn't neglect kits," she meowed, feeling a twinge of nervousness. "If we don't help her, wouldn't we be breaking the code?"

Smoky stared blankly at them. "To be frank, if you don't take her, I'll just walk over to one of those other Clans and see if they will. I'd rather _not_ have to go to ThunderClan today, but… they seem pretty keen to take in outsiders if they'd let my Daisy bring our litter there."

 _That_ seemed to catch Onestar's attention. He blinked, before he leaned closer to the kit and gave her a sniff. She hissed and tried to bat as his nose. "She _is_ a fierce little thing," he grunted. "Very well. We'll take her."

"No one's taking me _anywhere_!" the kit yowled. "I go wherever I want!"

"Oh, put a mouse in it," Smoky replied. He lifted his paw and nudged her towards Onestar. "These cats have loads of prey and there's nice cats in their Clan who will take care of you. You don't want to starve and die, do you?"

The kit glared at him, but she didn't argue.

"What's her name?" Runningbrook asked. She leaned in to sniff at the kit, who flinched away.

"Doesn't seem to have one," Smoky said. "I've asked her a few times and she just seems confused."

"Nobody ever gave me one," the kit muttered.

Onestar twitched his whiskers. "I suppose we'll have to amend that, then."

Smoky stood and turned away. "See you, kit. Thanks for taking her off my paws." He didn't wait for a response as he bounded away.

"Weird loner," Runningbrook muttered. "Should we take her back to camp, then?"

Onestar nodded. "Gorsetail should be able to care for her." He bent down and picked her up, despite the kit's resumed struggling.

"Put me down!" she yowled. "I'll fight you all!"

Hollypaw twitched her whiskers in amusement. _Hopefully she warms up to us,_ she thought.

* * *

Jaypaw returned with Kestrelpaw near sun-down. His senses were clogged by the mass of herbs in his jaws, and he felt far blinder than usual. He followed Kestrelpaw closely, relying on the older apprentice's tail for guidance. He could hear that the Clan was bustling about something, but he couldn't get a sense of what was going on.

"...you'd think we're becoming ThunderClan…"

"...shouldn't just be taking in any old strays…"

"...doesn't even want to be here…"

Jaypaw angled his ears around, confused by the hubbub of voices. _What in StarClan's name is happening?_ He shook his head slightly and followed Kestrelpaw to the medicine cat's den, where he dropped the bundle of herbs. He snorted a few times, trying to get rid of their cloying scents.

"Thanks, Jaypaw," Kestrelpaw purred. "I appreciate the help."

"No problem," Jaypaw replied. "What was happening out there?"

Kestrelpaw shrugged. "I'm not really sure. I need to sort these, though. I'm sure if it's important, I'll hear about it later!"

Jaypaw turned away with a flick of his tail. _Well, I'm going to go figure out what everyone is worked up about._ He left the den, tasting the air as he tried to work out who was closest. _Emberpaw and Leafpaw are talking a fox-length away. I'll go s_ _peak to_ _them._ He turned himself and their direction and padded over. "Hey," he meowed.

The brothers shifted towards him. "Oh, hey, Jaypaw," Emberpaw meowed. Leafpaw didn't reply, but he imagined the tom was frowning. Leafpaw had been less awful to Jaypaw ever since the cave-in, but that didn't mean they got along.

"What's all the fuss about?" Jaypaw asked, as he moved to sit beside Emberpaw.

Leafpaw lashed his tail. "Some loner dropped off a kit for Onestar to take," he growled. "A _rogue_ kit!"

"And?" Jaypaw prompted.

"Onestar accepted, I guess," Emberpaw meowed. "I don't see the big deal. Aren't more paws a good thing? We're not exactly the biggest Clan."

"So?" Leafpaw retorted. "That doesn't mean we need to start letting in _rogues_!"

Emberpaw sighed. "She's just a kit," he argued. "It's not like she's a _kittypet_."

Jaypaw twitched his tail. _I guess we could always use more cats,_ he thought. _But a rogue? I don't know what to think about that._ It was always _ThunderClan_ who let in all the outsiders… was WindClan going to start being like them?

"Where is she now?" Jaypaw asked.

"The nursery," Emberpaw replied. "She was kicking and yowling all the way here, apparently, but once she got a meal in her she calmed right down."

Leafpaw let out a growl. "We shouldn't be giving our fresh-kill to rogues."

"The warrior code says we can't hurt kits," Emberpaw meowed. "Pretty sure that applies to rogue kits too."

"Oh, whatever," Leafpaw said. "Just put her on the other side of ThunderClan's border. You know how much they _love_ taking in outside cats."

"And let them have another warrior?" Emberpaw retorted. "Honestly, Leafpaw, I think you've got dirt for brains, sometimes."

Leafpaw didn't have a response for that.

Jaypaw snorted quietly. _Emberpaw is right. Taking in a rogue might not be the best thing to do, but at least it keeps our enemies from having another Clanmate._

* * *

Hollypaw hung around the outside of the nursery. She curled her tail curiously as she poked her head in. Gorsetail was sitting inside, blocking her view of the kits. "Hello," she called. "I brought some fresh-kill."

Gorsetail glanced at her, a bleak expression on her face. She forced a smile for Hollypaw, but the apprentice could see the dull grief in her eyes. Although Sedgekit was still alive, she had fallen asleep two days ago and not woken up for more than a few heartbeats at a time, and it was taking a great toll on Gorsetail. "Come in," she rasped.

Hollypaw picked up her rabbit and slipped into the nursery. It had only been about a moon and a half since she had left the nursery to become an apprentice, but it already felt so much smaller. She placed the rabbit in front of Gorsetail, and Swallowkit and Thistlekit moved from behind her to pounce on it.

"How is Sunkit?" she asked, glancing around the queen. The tortoiseshell kit, who had been named Sunkit by Gorsetail, was nowhere to be seen. It had been a couple of days since her arrival, and Hollypaw was curious to see how she was faring.

Gorsetail sighed. "She's with the elders right now. She's not exactly happy," she explained. "But she hasn't tried to leave. I think she knows she's safe here, even if she doesn't understand why she was brought here." She shifted to let her kits dig into to the rabbit. "I'm just glad she isn't sick. We have enough of that around here."

Hollypaw leaned over the kits and touched her nose to Gorsetail's shoulder for a brief moment. _She might not be my mother, but she helped raise us, too._ "Sedgekit will be okay," she promised. "She's strong."

Gorsetail smiled weakly at her. "Thank you, Hollypaw. I hope you're right."

 _Me too._ Hollypaw glanced down at Swallowkit and Thistlekit. The sisters were gorging themselves on the rabbit already, tails twitching eagerly. They had grown since Hollypaw's apprenticeship. _I wonder when they'll be made apprentices,_ she thought. _Probably another moon or two. I hope Sedgekit is better soon… she would be sad if she had to wait to be made an apprentice._

Hollypaw was about to ask about the kits' apprenticeship when a wail of distress rang out from outside. Hollypaw bristled and jumped to her paws. _What's going on? Is it an attack?_ She turned on her paws and quickly darted outside.

She froze.

Dewspots and Harepaw were crouched over something, both bristling. Willowclaw pressed against Dewspots, murmuring quietly to her. All had their backs to Hollypaw—she couldn't see what it was they were looking at. She crept around them and stiffened. Her stomach swirled. _Oh, StarClan, no…_

They were crouched over the limp form of Tornear. The old warrior's eyes were closed, and his pelt was matted. He lay still, on his side. Dewspots buried her muzzle in her father's shoulder, quivering with grief. Harepaw prodded at his side.

"He can't be dead!" Harepaw cried. "He was fine just a few days ago!"

Kestrelpaw hurried to his brother's side. He pressed against Harepaw, nudging him away from Tornear's body. "He was old, and he couldn't fight the illness as hard," he murmured. "He hunts with StarClan now."

Onestar padded towards Tornear, eyes wide with shock. "Tornear…?" he rasped. "How can this be?"

Kestrelpaw looked up at his leader, his gaze clouded with grief. "I think he was trying to hide just how sick he was," he replied, quietly. "He passed just a few minutes ago… it was quite sudden."

Onestar closed his eyes, then sat down and drew his thin tail around himself. "Great StarClan…"

"That's not all," Kestrelpaw meowed. He straightened up, but his paws shifted about worriedly. "Barkface is sick."


	15. Chapter 14

**Phew! All of the finished chapters from the first version are finally re-uploaded. I'm going to try and work on the next chapter this weekend, so I may finally have some new content for the story!**

* * *

Lionpaw ducked into the medicine cat's den. A squirrel hung limply from his jaws. Leafpool was quick to hurry towards him and block him from entering any farther than a few pawsteps inside the den.

"No closer," she warned. "I'm trying to keep the sick cats quarantined here, away from everyone else."

Lionpaw dropped the squirrel at her paws and nodded. "I know. It's just my job to bring everyone fresh-kill, so…" he tried to glance around her. Poppypaw and Cinderpaw were closest to Leafpool. Cinderpaw blinked tiredly at him, but Poppypaw was on her side, twitching in her sleep. Behind them were Dustpelt and Thornclaw. Both toms were awake, but neither spoke to Lionpaw. All that came from the end of the den was a few muffled coughs from Dustpelt.

"How are they?" he asked.

Leafpool gestured with a flick of her tail for him to back out of the den. He obeyed, and took a few steps backwards before he moved out of the way to let her out.

"Dustpelt and Thornclaw are okay," Leafpool began to explain. "Sick, yes, but I believe they'll both recover. Cinderpaw is a little worse-off, but she's been keeping food and herbs down." Leafpool sighed quietly. "It's Poppypaw I'm worried about."

Lionpaw blinked. _Poppypaw?_ He flicked his tail, and felt a prick of worry. He wasn't close with Poppypaw, but she was always kind and happy to see any of the apprentices. The den was starting to feel empty without Cinderpaw's humor and Poppypaw's warm smiles. "She's going to be okay, right?"

Leafpool lowered her gaze. "I don't know," she admitted. "I've tried everything, and she won't eat anymore. She's in the paws of StarClan now."

 _She'll be fine,_ Lionpaw told himself. _She has to be! Leafpool is a great medicine cat, and Poppypaw's young._ Before he could ask anything else, he heard Brightheart calling.

"Lionpaw! Come on."

Lionpaw flattened his ears. "I've got to go."

Leafpool smiled kindly at him. "Don't worry about Poppypaw too much, alright? I'll do all I can to help her recover."

Lionpaw nodded before he turned away to hurry towards Brightheart. His mentor was talking quietly with Brackenfur. The deputy looked weary—his pelt was poorly groomed and his eyes were dull. It was clear that two of his daughters being ill was taking a toll on him. They paused their conversation as Lionpaw padded up to them.

"What are we doing?" Lionpaw asked.

"Just marking the WindClan border," Brightheart replied. "And keeping an eye out for foxes. We're taking Hazelpaw and Graystripe."

Lionpaw pricked his ears. _Graystripe?_ The old warrior had yet to join any patrols.

"It'll give him a chance to get an idea of the borders," Brackenfur explained. "And I'm sending Hazelpaw since Dustpelt is ill."

Brightheart touched her nose to Brackenfur's cheek before she pulled away and padded towards the camp entrance. Graystripe and Hazelpaw were already there. Millie was with them, looking much more healthy than she had been when the pair had first arrived. Despite the illness in ThunderClan, Millie only seemed to get stronger. Her coat was glossy and her ribs were hardly noticeable now.

Brightheart dipped her head to Millie. "Hello," she meowed. "How have you been settling in?"

Millie gave her a friendly blink. "Great!" she meowed. "Graystripe was just telling me he was going to go on a border patrol. I was wondering if I could join you."

Lionpaw frowned. _But she's not a warrior._

Brightheart seemed to share his concern. "We don't usually take queens on patrol," she replied.

Graystripe shrugged. "Millie's tough," he meowed. "She'd like to know where the borders are, too."

Brightheart was quiet for a few moments before she nodded. "Fair enough. But if there's any sign of danger, I want her far from it." She fixed Millie with a stern look. "Do I have your agreement? If I give an order to run, you need to run."

Millie seemed unfazed. "I don't need to run from a fight," she replied. "But if it would make you more comfortable, then that's alright."

 _Seriously?_ Lionpaw thought. _She doesn't have real warrior training,_ and _she's a queen!_ He knew better than to complain, though, so he simply frowned and fell in behind Brightheart and Graystripe as they led the way out of camp. Millie remained close to Graystripe's side, but she didn't show a trace of nervousness. Lionpaw could at least begrudgingly respect that.

Hazelpaw padded along beside him. She leaned towards him as they walked and muttered, "Kind of weird to take a queen along, huh?"

Lionpaw nodded. "Yeah," he whispered. "What if we were to get attacked? She's a kittypet."

Hazelpaw shrugged. "I guess we have enough cats on the patrol to keep her from getting hurt," she meowed. "But… still. I wouldn't feel comfortable with my mother patrolling while _she's_ expecting kits."

Millie seemed to not have noticed their whispering, but Brightheart glanced sharply towards them and shot them a look that clearly told them to be quiet.

Lionpaw bowed his head and flattened his ears apologetically, and Hazelpaw followed suit. Brightheart nodded in the slightest and turned away.

Lionpaw felt a stab of guilt. _I shouldn't be talking like that,_ he thought. _Both of Brightheart's mates were kittypets. Firestar was a kittypet, too!_ He shot a glance at Hazelpaw, who seemed unfazed. _She doesn't seem to mind, though, even though Daisy was one. I guess she doesn't see herself as having kittypet blood since she was raised here._

The patrol was relatively uneventful. The only fox scent the cats found was incredibly stale, and there seemed to be no signs of them remaining on the territory ever since Lionpaw killed the adult. Brightheart broke the silence every so often to point out a landmark or offer some explanation of where a path in the forest led to.

It was all quiet on the WindClan border. The border was freshly marked when they arrived, so Lionpaw figured they must have just missed the WindClan patrol.

"The border is essentially the stream here," Brightheart explained. "We can drink and wash our paws in it, but we never cross unless we need to speak to WindClan or go the Gathering. If we crossed for no good reason or to hunt, WindClan would be within their rights to attack."

Millie flicked an ear. "The same goes for us if they were to cross, right?"

"Right," Brightheart meowed. "Has Graystripe explained the Warrior Code to you?"

"He has," Millie replied. She brushed her tail across her mate's side fondly.

Graystripe purred. "She's a quick learner." He gave her cheek a quick lick.

Lionpaw twitched his tail as he watched them. _I wonder if I'll ever be like that with someone._ There wasn't anyone in the Clan he could imagine being that sappy with right _now_ , but… it was a nice thought.

Brightheart glanced towards Lionpaw and beckoned with her tail for him to come forward. "We just need to mark the border, and we can be on our way."

They left scent markers quickly and scored their claws down a few saplings for good measure. Then, Brightheart gathered them all up again and led them back towards camp.

Hazelpaw hurried to pad alongside Graystripe. "How _did_ you find us?" she meowed. "I don't think I've heard the story yet."

Graystripe twitched his whiskers in amusement. "Well… it all started back in the old territory, when the twoleg monsters started ripping up the forest. We were all getting ready to leave to come to the lake, but the twolegs started putting out traps to catch cats and take them away. I wasn't caught then, but they nabbed me when I and some others tried to free our Clanmates who _had_ been trapped." He flicked his tail. "They didn't wait around with the cages that time—they took off right away."

"That sounds so scary!" Hazelpaw meowed, as she shuddered a bit. "I would hate to get caught by twolegs."

"Trust me, I hated it," Graystripe chuckled. "I spent a bit of time in this weird den before some new twolegs came and took me to their den. I guess they wanted me to be their kittypet. I was furious, but I had no idea where I was and where my Clanmates were."

Millie shouldered him. "And then he met me."

Graystripe nodded and purred. "Thank StarClan I did! I was such a useless lump of fur that I resigned myself to thinking I'd be stuck there forever. But I met Millie and I told her all about my old home and how much I missed being a warrior. She convinced me to go find them, and I asked her come with."

Lionpaw flicked an ear. _Everyone says Graystripe is so great and noble,_ he thought. _But he kind of sounds like a coward if he had to have a kittypet tell him to find ThunderClan._

Millie picked up the story. "So we left the twolegplace and found our way out. I knew my way around, but I'd never left the twolegplace before that. We had to rely on the directions from loners to find our way back to the old territory."

Graystripe frowned sadly. "By the time we got there, it was… _ruined_. The forest had been so beautiful, but it was completely destroyed. Trees toppled… streams dry… hardly anything was growing. The camp hadn't been touched yet, though, so we spent the night there. Then we left." He shook himself a little, seemingly trying to brush off the grief he felt about his old home. "So we left the territory and went up to Ravenpaw and Barley's barn."

Brightheart looked interested at that. "Oh?" she asked. "How is Ravenpaw?"

"He was doing well!" Graystripe purred. He hopped over a fallen branch before he continued. "They hadn't touched the barn at all. He was sad about the forest, too, but I think it was different for him. Anyway, we rested with him for a few days and he explained how you all followed a sign to the sun-drown place. He pointed us in the right direction and we set off again."

Brightheart looked thoughtful. "Did you meet the Tribe on your way?"

"The what?" Graystripe blinked. "Er, no. We never met any tribe. We must have taken a different route. We got banged up pretty badly more than once, and it threw us off course a few times."

Millie rolled her eyes. "More like _you_ got banged up a few times. Graystripe got hit by a monster at one point!"

Brightheart chuckled. "Really?"

Graystripe flattened his ears in embarrassment. "I didn't see it coming," he admitted. "But, well, we made our way here and you know the rest."

Hazelpaw stared at them with wide eyes. "Wow!" she meowed. "That's amazing."

Lionpaw wasn't as impressed. _Everyone else made the same journey,_ he thought. _Why is it a big deal when he does it?_

They soon reached the camp, where Whitewing was sitting in the entrance. The young warrior looked agitated.

Brightheart immediately stiffened with worry before she hurried towards her daughter. "I can tell something's wrong," she meowed. "What is it?"

Whitewing looked away. "It's Poppypaw," she meowed. "She—she's…" her voice trailed off and she clenched her eyes shut.

Lionpaw swallowed. The unspoken words hit him instantly. _No,_ he thought. _I just saw her. She's not…_

Hazelpaw shot him a look. Her eyes were wide and her fur stood on end. "Poppypaw…?"

Brightheart hurried past Whitewing and into camp. Lionpaw was only a step behind her.

It seemed all of ThunderClan was gathered together in the middle of camp. Sorreltail and Brackenfur were pressed together. Honeypaw's muzzle was buried in Poppypaw's fur. The tortoiseshell apprentice was lying on her side, still as could be. Thornclaw tried to contain his coughs as he stared down at his apprentice.

 _Oh, StarClan…_ Lionpaw felt sick.

Leafpool was shifting about, a frantic look in her eyes. "I don't know what happened…" she mumbled. "She was just sleeping… I went to get some moss…"

Squirrelflight leaned against her and hushed her gently. Leafpool shut her eyes and pushed her muzzle into Squirrelflight's shoulder.

Lionpaw found his father sitting closer to the camp entrance. His previous frustration with Brambleflower was momentarily forgotten. He hurried to his side. Brambleflower glanced at him, his eyes dull with sorrow.

"What happened?" Lionpaw demanded.

Brambleflower lowered his gaze. "I guess she wasn't able to fight off the Greencough," he sighed. "Were you friends?"

Lionpaw sat down and shook his head. "No… I don't know. But she…" _I don't know how to explain it._ He and Poppypaw hadn't been that close, but he still felt grief washing over him. It was unlike anything he had ever felt, for this was the first time he had truly seen death.

"She's a Clanmate," Brambleflower meowed. "I understand." He bowed his head. "It's hard for anyone to lose a Clanmate… but it's even worse when they're as young as she was."

Lionpaw nodded numbly. He watched as his Clanmates weaved around each other, pausing in their movement to press their muzzles into Poppypaw's fur before they pulled away again. Her closest kin huddled around her without leaving—they would stay here until sun-down, when Longtail and Mousefur would take her body out and find find a place to bury her.

Lionpaw leaned into his father for a few moments. He was not over his anger towards him, but it was times like this where such things hardly mattered.

* * *

The first few days after Poppypaw's death passed slowly, but eventually, the Clan got back into the swing of things. At first, many cats had been half-hearted in their work. No one dared to say it, but they were all worried after the apprentice died. Greencough had yet to claim any more lives, but Whitewing and Rainwhisker had joined the sick cats in Leafpool's den.

ThunderClan life had to go on, though, and so it did.

Lionpaw was out on the territory with Honeypaw and Berrypaw. The apprentices had been sent out to hunt. Mousepaw and Hazelpaw were in their own hunting party, joined by Cinderpaw. So far, she was the only cat to recover from the illness, but it was clear that emotionally, she wasn't doing so well. Her eyes had been dull as she joined the apprentices that morning.

Honeypaw was no better. She was dragging her paws along, barely able to hold her tail up. She had carelessly scared off most of the prey they had noticed, but neither of the toms reprimanded her. Lionpaw could hardly blame her for it. He had no littermates, but he doubted he would act much better if his kin died.

Berrypaw was immensely kind to her. He still was showing off on their patrol as usual, but Lionpaw got the impression that it was more for Honeypaw's amusement than for his own arrogance.

"Watch, Honeypaw," Berrypaw was boasting. "I'm gonna catch that robin up there." He pointed with his nose up towards a tree ahead of them. It was a massive oak, and a plump robin was perched high above them.

Honeypaw chuckled quietly. "Berrypaw, no!" she meowed. "That's too high up."

"Not for me!" Berrypaw strutted dramatically towards the tree. "I'll go fetch it without messing up a feather and bring it right to you."

Lionpaw played along. He shook his head. "I don't think he can do it," he meowed. He had grown a bit more fond of Berrypaw since they had talked, and while they weren't about to be the best of friends, the older tom seemed less annoying every day. "He's going to scare it away."

"Just watch me!" Berrypaw meowed. He hopped up and latched onto the tree with his claws, than began his climb up.

Honeypaw glanced at Lionpaw, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "I know he's just showing off for me," she whispered. "But… it's kind of nice."

Lionpaw touched his tail to her side. "It'll get better," he quietly promised.

Honeypaw sighed softly. "That's what Sorreltail says," she murmured. "She lost her brother in a badger attack. But, still… it feels like it's always going to hurt."

Lionpaw wasn't sure what to say. He was saved from speaking by a shriek in the tree. Berrypaw had the robin in his jaws, but his pounce was sloppy and he came plummeting down. He hit a few branches on his way down before his claws hooked into a lower limb on the tree. He dangled off, his pelt bushed up to its full size.

Lionpaw couldn't help but burst out in laughter. Honeypaw giggled beside him.

Berrypaw dropped the robin. "H-hey!" he cried. "It's not funny!" His hind paws flailed uselessly in the air as he tried to haul himself back up. Then he slipped off completely and landed messily on the ground, legs splayed out.

Honeypaw was shaking with laughter. "Won't mess up a feather, he said!"

Lionpaw snickered as he noticed all the leaves that clung to Berrypaw's pelt. "It looks like he tried to make himself some feathers. Trying to be a bird, Berrypaw?"

"Aw, come on!" Berrypaw protested. "I—" he broke off and started coughing violently.

Honeypaw and Lionpaw both stopped laughing. They straightened up and exchanged a horrified glance.

With a final, loud cough, Berrypaw spat out a feather. "Phew," he wheezed. "That was gross." He glanced at his companions and frowned. "What's the matter?" Hardly a moment later he seemed to realize what the other apprentices were thinking, and he flattened his ears. "Oh. I'm not… I'm not sick. I promise."

Their amusement had been spoiled by the scare. Honeypaw sighed quietly and flicked her tail. "Let's keep hunting," she murmured.

Lionpaw nodded bleakly. _Poor Honeypaw,_ he thought. _She doesn't deserve this._

 _Then again,_ he mused, _none of us do._ To watch his Clanmates die slowly before his eyes was the worst pain he'd ever felt, and he wasn't sure how many more deaths ThunderClan could handle. Losing Poppypaw, a cat he hard hardly known very well at all, was hard enough. What if someone he truly cared about died next?

Brambleflower?

Squirrelflight?

Brightheart?

 _Firestar_?

Lionpaw suddenly felt terribly useless. He knew he could do nothing to help the cats that were sick, though he bitterly wished he could. All he could do was pray that StarClan would keep his kin and his Clanmates safe, and that they would find a cure for this illness soon… before they lost anyone else.


	16. Chapter 15

**Finally, a new chapter is here! Thank you to everyone for your patience with getting this thing re-uploaded. I was pretty frustrated to have to do it, but I'm excited to get back to work on new content for the story! This chapter has been in progress for a long time, and it's probably my favorite that I've written so far.**

* * *

Jaypaw hadn't been sure where he would dream, but he didn't expect to open his eyes to a forest with a certain tortoiseshell sitting before him.

" _You_!" he spat, as he leaped backwards. _Stupid Spottedleaf! What does she want this time?_ "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

Spottedleaf sighed softly. Her eyes were dark with sadness. "I'm only here to remind you of your destiny," she meowed. "Jaypaw, your gift is incredible. It—"

"I don't want to hear it!" Jaypaw growled. "You're not a WindClan cat, and _I'm_ never going to be a medicine cat!"

"Jaypaw, please," Spottedleaf pleaded. "Your talent paired with the knowledge of a medicine cat would allow you to do incredible things." She bowed her head. "If you ignore your true destiny, more cats may die without need."

 _That_ got his attention. Jaypaw narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?" he demanded.

Spottedleaf leaned towards him. Her gaze was sympathetic. "Oh, Jaypaw," she meowed. "Cats like Tornear don't have to die. Perhaps, if you had a medicine cat's training, you may have—"

"What?" Jaypaw cut her off once more. " _Saved_ him?" Spottedleaf nodded eagerly, and Jaypaw curled his lip. "Tornear was old," he snapped. "Seeing his dreams wouldn't make him any less sick."

"You could have helped him," Spottedleaf meowed. "You don't just walk in dreams—you know what cats feel. You would have noticed his illness sooner if you were a medicine cat."

Jaypaw drew himself up and bristled with fury. _I won't let her make me feel guilty about this!_ he thought. _It's not my fault Tornear is dead. It's not!_ "You can't control my life!" he snarled. "I want to be a warrior and I'm _going_ to be one!"

"Jaypaw, I'm just trying to help," Spottedleaf reasoned. "Denying your destiny will only cause you pain."

"No!" Jaypaw argued. "That's not my destiny. You're a ThunderClan cat. You shouldn't even have a _say_ in my destiny!"

Spottedleaf looked sad once more. "So," she meowed. "They never told you, did they?"

Jaypaw scowled. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

He blinked, and everything turned to darkness. He could tell by scent that Willowclaw was standing over him. "Come on," she meowed. "Time for border patrol. You were sleeping like a log."

"Sorry," Jaypaw muttered. He sat up and stretched. "I had a hard time falling asleep."

Willowclaw's tail flicked. "Think you're up for the Gathering tonight?" she asked. "All the apprentices are being assessed today. Do well and you'll be allowed to go."

Jaypaw pricked his ears. _An assessment?_ He'd never had one before. "What are we going to do?"

"Well, after we patrol the border, you're going to be hunting underground," she meowed. "I'll be waiting aboveground with the other mentors. You'll just have to catch as much prey as you can and find your way back out."

Jaypaw straightened up. _Easy!_ His uncomfortable dream was quickly forgotten. This was the perfect chance to show he wasn't a bumbling kit. He was still learning to hunt well on the moors, but it was a completely different story underground.

"Come on," Willowclaw meowed. "Let's not keep Whitetail waiting."

"Whitetail?" Jaypaw asked. "Does that mean Breezepaw is coming, too?"

Willowclaw chuckled. "Yes," she meowed. "He's already waiting by the camp exit."

 _Yes!_ Jaypaw curled his tail. He was over a moon into his training, and he still had not done anything with Breezepaw. _Today's going to be great._ It was the first time in a while that he'd felt optimistic.

They crossed camp quickly, and Jaypaw sensed Breezepaw pacing around at the top of the slope. His brother whirled on his paws and let out a jubilant cry. "Finally!" he exclaimed. "It's about time we get to patrol together. We'll send ThunderClan running back to their forest!"

"Now, now," Whitetail chided. "There will be no fighting unless they cross the border. Is that clear, Breezepaw?"

Jaypaw could imagine Breezepaw rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah," Breezepaw retorted. "I know."

Willowclaw hurried up the slope. "Come on, you two," she meowed. "The sooner we finish up the patrol, the sooner we can start the assessments."

Breezepaw tossed his head. "I'm going to do the best out of the moor runners," he declared. "Whitetail says I'm already the fastest. I beat Harepaw in a race yesterday, and he's already had _three moons_ of training!"

Jaypaw grinned. He and Breezepaw followed their mentors, keeping a few paces between them. "I bet we'll both go to the Gathering," he meowed. "We _have_ to."

Breezepaw nodded eagerly.

Jaypaw twitched his whiskers thoughtfully. "I wonder if Hollypaw will come."

Breezepaw scoffed quietly. "Like it even _matters_! She'll be sitting with Crowfeather the whole time or preaching to some other apprentices about the 'importance of the code'."

Jaypaw snorted quietly. _He's not wrong._ Hollypaw had hardly spent any time with either of them since they'd all become apprentices. _She's always thought she was better than us._ He shook his head a little. "Whatever. You're probably right."

Willowclaw halted up ahead to sniff at a clump of heather. "Fox," she reported. "But it's stale. You should both get a good sniff of it, though."

Jaypaw resisted the urge to sigh. He'd scented _plenty_ of fox in the last moon. He obliged his mentor anyway and hurried ahead to sniff at the heather. Breezepaw passed by it without so much as stopping.

Breezepaw nudged Jaypaw as they walked on. "Did you hear Dewspots is moving in the nursery soon?"

Jaypaw flicked an ear. "Really? I hadn't." He didn't know much about his mentor's mate—Willowclaw didn't speak of Dewspots often in their training. He could, however, feel the powerful waves of sadness that rolled off of her nearly every time he passed her. Dewspots had taken the death of Tornear hard. _Maybe kits will cheer her up,_ he thought.

"I wonder who the tom is," Breezepaw carried on, keeping his voice low. "Think they'll say who?"

Jaypaw shrugged. "I don't think that's supposed to be our business unless they want it to be."

"I guess," Breezepaw meowed. "But still, aren't you curious?"

Jaypaw flicked his tail. "Not really," he replied. "Like I said, it's not our business." He frowned. _But if Dewspots is moving into the nursery, that leaves only three full moor runners._ With Tornear dead, there was only Crowfeather, Runningbrook, and Whitetail to hunt the moors. They each had apprentices, but even Harepaw, the eldest of the moor runner apprentices, still had a few moons before he became a warrior. _I wonder if that's why we're on the border patrol today._

He was about to share his realization with Breezepaw when Whitetail spoke up. "We'll be at the border soon!" the molly called. "Keep your wits about you."

Jaypaw parted his jaws to taste the air. He could tell the border stream was a few fox-lengths ahead, and the scents of the forest—leaf mold, earth, and the musky stench of ThunderClan—were being carried over on a breeze. The last scent seemed especially strong, and as he took in another breath, he realized he could smell a few warriors. "There's ThunderClan cats nearby," he reported.

"Good catch, Jaypaw," Willowclaw meowed. She paused to sniff at the air. "You're right. We'll mark the border and see if they pass. ThunderClan has no reason to trespass, but it doesn't hurt to be safe."

Jaypaw sat down by the stream to take a drink. Sure enough, a ThunderClan patrol soon came padding out from the undergrowth. He listened carefully to the noises they made—he could tell there were three cats, but it was hard to judge their size or age from across the stream.

"What's this?" a tom snarled. "Do WindClan cats enjoy hanging around the border?"

"Ashfur," grunted Whitetail. "Do all ThunderClan cats greet others by slinging accusations?"

Jaypaw frowned as Ashfur growled once more, "Just making sure you fleabags don't cross the border."

"Fleabags?" Breezepaw demanded. "Come over here and I'll show you who the fleabag is!"

Another ThunderClan tom hissed. "Do you let your apprentices talk to warriors that way?"

Whitetail's tail lashed furiously. "I do when they start insulting us!"

Jaypaw stood and arched his back, feeling a rush of anger. _ThunderClan cats sure have a lot of nerve!_

The third ThunderClan cat gasped softly. He sounded younger than the two warriors. "Hey, can that apprentice _see_?"

Ashfur coughed out a laugh. "Making blind cats warriors? WindClan must be weaker than usual."

Jaypaw curled his lip. "I'm not weak!"

Breezepaw let out a furious snarl and darted forward. He leaped over the stream, and Jaypaw heard a _thump_ as his brother collided with one of the warriors.

"Breezepaw!" Whitetail shrieked. "Get back here!"

"You mange-pelt!" Breezepaw yowled, completely ignoring his mentor. Ashfur snarled as he and Breezepaw rolled over. "Say my brother and my Clan are weak _one more time_!"

" _You_ certainly are weak!" Ashfur snapped. There was a splash, and Breezepaw screeched furiously.

Whitetail darted forward and seized Breezepaw by the scruff. She hauled him back and threw him into the grass on their side of the stream. "Enough!" she spat.

Willowclaw stepped towards the stream. "Insult my apprentice again, and _I_ _will_ give you a proper beating." She spat at the ground and whirled around.

"Seriously?" the second ThunderClan warrior called. "You're going to let your apprentice cross the border and attack without orders?"

"Oh, believe me, he _will_ be punished," Whitetail hissed. "But I won't fail to mention to Onestar that ThunderClan takes joy in mocking our Clan. I'm _sure_ he'll be pleased to know that Firestar approves of instigating border skirmishes."

Breezepaw rolled over and jumped to his paws. "Let's just settle this!" he spat. "Jaypaw, come on!"

Jaypaw bared his teeth, but Willowclaw shouldered him back. "Don't even think about it," she snapped. "They want you to start a fight, Jaypaw."

Jaypaw bristled with fury. _I don't care what they want!_ He thought. He tensed, ready to spring across the stream. A heartbeat passed, and his shoulders sagged. _What's the use? I'll just get in trouble._

Willowclaw nudged him away from the stream. "Let's go," she muttered.

Jaypaw flattened his ears and obeyed.

* * *

Jaypaw jumped off the fallen tree, and landed in the soft sand of the Gathering Island. The rest of the day had passed without much incident—although Breezepaw had been forbidden to go the Gathering for his behavior at the border. He had done fine in his assessment, as had Breezepaw, but his fight with Ashfur didn't go unmentioned to Onestar.

Jaypaw lashed his tail in annoyance. _He was just defending me… and WindClan! He should've been praised for it._ He took a deep breath and sighed. _Forget about it. Don't let it ruin the night._

He walked into the clearing, sniffing and twitching his ears about as he tried to get a sense for who was where. It seemed all three other Clans were already present—the scents of oak, fish, and pine all mingled in the air. Jaypaw briefly considered following Harepaw or Emberpaw, but he pushed the thought aside and continued into the crowd alone. _Maybe I should try to meet some cats on my own,_ he thought. _So long as I don't have to talk to any stupid ThunderClanners again. Maybe that cat Beechfur will be here. He was nice enough—_

Jaypaw yelped as he walked right into the side of another passing cat. He scrambled a step back, mentally cursing himself for not paying attention.

"Oh!" a soft voice meowed. "I'm so sorry. I should've been looking where I was…" The stranger's voice trailed off.

Jaypaw curled his lip. _Is she staring at me?_ "What?"

"I…" The molly seemed caught completely off guard. "Are you… are you Nightcloud's kit?" Her voice seemed strangely hollow.

Jaypaw furrowed his brow. He could have been sure that she was shocked by his blindness… but perhaps she was just a friend of his mother's. "Yes," he grunted. "I'm Jaypaw."

"Jaypaw…" The molly sounded almost wistful. "It's very nice to meet you. I'm… I'm Leafpool."

Jaypaw tilted his head curiously. _Leafpool?_ That was the name of the ThunderClan medicine cat. She seemed nice enough for a ThunderClan cat, even if she was oddly nervous and scatterbrained.

"You have a sister, too, don't you?" Leafpool asked. She seemed to be regaining her calm. "Is she here?"

Jaypaw almost scoffed. _Even a total stranger is more interested in Hollypaw than me!_ "Yeah," he muttered. "And a brother. Breezepaw isn't here, though."

"I see…" Leafpool sat down. "How wonderful. Do you like warrior training?"

Jaypaw was about to reply when a sharp voice made him jump. "Jaypaw!"

 _Mother?_ Jaypaw lifted his chin as Nightcloud rushed to his side. Waves of fury rolled off of her, and her thick pelt was bristling. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

 _Why is she so upset?_ Jaypaw wondered. _I thought they were friends._ "I was talking to Leafpool," he meowed. "She asked me about training."

Nightcloud's tail lashed. She leaned towards Leafpool. "Leave my son alone," she said. "He doesn't need ThunderClan cats bothering him."

Jaypaw sensed a feeling of hurt from Leafpool. He flattened his ears, feeling confused. "She wasn't—"

"Go on, Jaypaw," Nightcloud ordered, her voice hard and unwavering. "Antpaw and Emberpaw are a little further towards the center. Go join them."

Jaypaw scowled. _What's the matter with her?_ He wondered. Leafpool had seemed to know Nightcloud, but now his mother was acting like Leafpool was her worst enemy. _Maybe she's just still mad about today. But Leafpool wasn't even there!_ He huffed and lashed his tail before he stood and padded away into the throng of cats once more.

Jaypaw caught the scents of Antpaw and Emberpaw, but he didn't follow it. _I can still meet cats on my own! It's the Gathering. I'm allowed to socialize!_

He caught the piney scent of ShadowClan and turned towards it. There seemed to be a lone apprentice sitting a few fox-lengths away. Jaypaw could sense the cat's discomfort and unease. _I wonder what the matter is with her._

Jaypaw padded up to the molly and nodded towards her. "Hey," he meowed. He quite quickly began to feel painfully awkward. _What if she doesn't want to talk to anyone?_

The ShadowClan apprentice turned towards him. "Hi," she meowed. Her voice had a strange rasp to it. She leaned close and sniffed. "Are you a WindClan cat?" she asked.

"Yeah," Jaypaw replied. "You're from ShadowClan."

There was a beat of silence. The other apprentice shifted awkwardly. "You can't see, can you?"

Jaypaw gritted his teeth. _StarClan's sake! I can't go two seconds without some cat saying it._ "No," he growled.

"Sorry," the molly said. "I don't mean that as a bad thing. It's better that you can't see me, anyway." She sniffed. "I'm half-blind now as it is."

 _Better that I can't see her?_ Jaypaw frowned. "What do you mean?"

The apprentice clawed once at the grass. "No one wants to talk to me here because of how I look. If you could see my scars… you wouldn't want to talk to me either."

"Oh." Jaypaw twitched his ear. "I'm sorry."

The apprentice shook herself a little. "Well… seeing as you _do_ want to talk to me… I'm Ivypaw."

 _She was the new ShadowClan apprentice last moon,_ Jaypaw recalled. "I'm Jaypaw," he told her.

Another few heartbeats of quiet passed between them. Ivypaw's tail twitched. "Were you born blind?" she asked.

Jaypaw nodded. "Yeah."

"I wasn't," Ivypaw meowed. She took a wheezy breath. "Maybe it would have been easier if I had been. It's weird only being able to see out of one eye."

 _At least you_ have _one that works,_ Jaypaw thought. He wasn't sure how to feel about Ivypaw. She wasn't the most friendly company, but it felt wrong to get up and leave.

"So," Ivypaw meowed. "What's it like being a WindClan ca—" her voice broke off quite suddenly. Ivypaw began to shiver beside him. He sensed a harsh wave of fear and anger rush from her, and the force of it nearly made him flinch away.

"You… you…" Ivypaw lowered herself into a crouch. Jaypaw got the sense she wasn't talking to him anymore. _Who's there?_

Ivypaw let out a shriek. " _GET AWAY FROM ME!"_

* * *

Lionpaw padded through the gathered Clan cats, following behind Berrypaw. The cream tom seemed to know where he was going, and Lionpaw was happy to continue along behind him. He wasn't too eager to be alone—especially given the recent battle with ShadowClan—and Berrypaw seemed not to mind. Honeypaw remained just a step behind Lionpaw. The three young cats had grown closer since the ShadowClan battle and Poppypaw's death.

"Hey, Pikepaw!" Berrypaw called. His short tail twitched. "How's the fish swimming?"

A ginger-and-white tom across the clearing lifted his head. He was sitting with a few other apprentices that seemed to be close to Lionpaw's age. "Hey, Berrypaw!" he called. "Well enough."

Berrypaw led the way through the gathered warriors towards the RiverClan apprentices. Lionpaw twitched his whiskers curiously. He had yet to meet any RiverClan apprentices properly—he had mostly sat with Heatherpaw at the last Gathering. _Heatherpaw… I wonder if she's here tonight?_ He glanced around.

Jaypaw was sitting a few fox-lengths away. _He might know if she's here,_ Lionpaw thought. He flicked his tail. _He's not the most friendly, though._

Lionpaw shrugged to himself. _Couldn't hurt to ask._ "Hey, Berrypaw, I'll be right back," he meowed. He ducked away without waiting for a response and hurried towards Jaypaw. The WindClan apprentice had his back turned to Lionpaw, and he seemed to be talking to some other cat.

He veered slightly to Jaypaw's right, not wanting to startle the blind apprentice. He parted his jaws to greet him…

But then he saw _her._

Ivypaw was sitting in front of Jaypaw. She was nearly unrecognizable, but Lionpaw would never forget the wounds he had left her. Both of her ears were torn to ribbons, only half there. One eye was closed tightly, with thin claw-marks drawn over it. A deep scar ran from the corner of her mouth, down the side of her neck, and then cut sharply across her throat. Ivypaw's shoulders were still missing clumps of fur, revealing even more scars left by Lionpaw's claws.

Lionpaw's stomach swirled. _I did that to her. Oh, StarClan…_ he shivered. _What's wrong with me?_

Ivypaw caught sight of him. Her single eye widened, and her jaws parted in surprise. Then her brows furrowed. "You… you…" Ivypaw lowered herself into a crouch, pressing her belly to the ground. " _GET AWAY FROM ME!"_

Lionpaw stepped back. He was shaking as memory of the battle flooded him once more. Ivypaw's shrieks, her blood splattered across the forest floor…

Ivypaw drew herself up, eye blazing. "Get _away!_ " she shrieked.

Jaypaw's fur was standing on end, clearly shocked by the sudden confrontation. "What's going on?" he demanded.

" _He did this to me!_ " Ivypaw was bristling. Her lips were drawn back, teeth revealed.

"I'm sorry!" Lionpaw blurted. He stumbled back, lowering himself towards the ground.

"It's him!" a ShadowClan warrior spat. "It's _that_ apprentice!"

"He tried to kill Ivypaw!"

"How _dare_ ThunderClan bring him here?"

Lionpaw cowered as yowls of outrage began to rise from surrounding cats. He desperately closed his eyes and flattened his ears, trying to drown out the sea of hateful voices.

"Drive him out!"

"Send him home!"

One fierce yowl rang out above it all— " _Silence_!"

Lionpaw opened his eyes. The four leaders were perched in the tree. It had been Blackstar that had yowled. His eyes were scanning the warriors for the source of the disturbance. "What in StarClan's name is going on?" he demanded.

Rowanclaw, who had forced his way through the crowd to stand before Lionpaw, pointed a long claw in his direction. "ThunderClan brought the apprentice that tried to kill Ivypaw!" he spat.

"I didn't mean to!" Lionpaw cried, but his words fell upon deaf ears. All around him, ShadowClan cats were looming in, teeth bared. _Someone help me!_

It was Berrypaw that leaped to his defense. The young tom shoved his way through two ShadowClan apprentices and came face-to-face with Rowanclaw. He curled his lip in disgust. "You have a lot of gut to show _your_ face at a Gathering!" he spat. He thrust his muzzle in Rowanclaw's face. "I _remember_ you! You were there when I was stuck in a trap—you _laughed_ at me! You called me a stupid kittypet!" He unsheathed his claws. "Let's find out who the kittypet is!"

Rowanclaw, though his expression betrayed no fear, took a step back. "Why, you—"

Firestar lashed his tail. "Enough!" he shouted. "Berrypaw, stand down!"

One ShadowClan apprentice dared to pipe up. Owlpaw crept forward and sneered towards Berrypaw. "Even the kittypet leader won't defend his kittypet apprentice!"

Berrypaw let out a roar and threw himself upon Owlpaw. Cats scattered as the two toms rolled around the clearing, screeching and clawing at each other. Berrypaw lifted a paw and struck Owlpaw across the face. Owlpaw tore fur from Berrypaw's flank.

Lionpaw watched it all, still pressed against the earth.

Squirrelflight was suddenly at his side. She nudged him to his paws. "Come here," she murmured. The furious ShadowClan warriors, all distracted by the sudden fight, didn't object as Squirrelflight led Lionpaw away from the center of the Gathering Island. He leaned into his mother, relieved by her warmth. She brought him to the edge of the island, where no other cats were seated. "It'll be alright," she promised. "I won't let them hurt you."

Lionpaw buried his muzzle in her shoulder. _I did the hurting!_ He thought. _Maybe Firestar should drive me out. I deserve it!_

He lifted his gaze in time to see Brambleflower throw himself into the fight. He sank his jaws into Berrypaw's scruff and hauled him away from Owlpaw. A black tom was dragging Owlpaw back. As quickly as the fight had started, it was put to an end.

Blackstar snarled and glared at Firestar. " _Well_?" he demanded. "Your apprentice attacked one of mine!"

"Don't begin to point claws at _me_ , Blackstar," Firestar spat. He looked more furious than Lionpaw had ever seen. " _You_ began this whole mess when you tried to steal territory from my Clan."

Murmurs of confusion and discontent rose from the gathered warriors. RiverClan and WindClan seemed especially confused by the sudden and jarring conflict between the other two Clans, and their warriors were glancing around as though hoping for some clarification.

Firestar straightened up. "I suppose I'll begin the meeting, then," he meowed, his voice edged with anger. "ShadowClan moved scent-markers far over the border, after they had already been given a strip of land. They have shown nothing but contempt for my Clanmates and our borders."

Blackstar practically sneered at him. "Your ' _Clan'_ is hardly even that anymore! I remember the days of a strong ThunderClan. Today ThunderClan is no more than a rag-tag bunch of loners and kittypets!"

Leopardstar flicked her tail. Her pelt was bristling in the slightest. "Your Clans need to keep your personal grievances away from the Gathering," she growled. "Starting fights at a time of truce! It's a wonder StarClan hasn't blocked out the moon. We are here to share news!"

Onestar curled his lip. "ShadowClan isn't the only Clan to be starting fights, Firestar," he growled.

Firestar looked startled by the hostility from the WindClan leader. "What?"

Onestar scoffed. "Don't play dumb! A border patrol antagonized my cats this morning. Insulting an apprentice and our Clan! And you come here to complain about insults towards _your_ Clan." He narrowed his eyes. " _Hypocrite_!"

Lionpaw straightened up. For a moment, the overwhelming confrontation faded in his mind, replaced by anger. _What's he talking about? Firestar isn't a hypocrite!_

Firestar looked surprised. "What?" His gaze hardened. "I wasn't informed of this."

Squirrelflight frowned. "Was there a border fight?"

Lionpaw shook his head. "I wasn't there."

"So!" Onestar spat. "You don't even have control over your own warriors, do you? Typical!"

Mutters began to rise once more. Lionpaw flattened his ears. _This Gathering is going terribly!_ He looked up towards the sky. Wisps of cloud were flitting across the moon—not quite blocking it, but circling closer. _StarClan is upset!_

He wasn't the only one to make the observation.

"StarClan is angry!" hissed a RiverClan elder.

"There's too much fighting!" Longtail declared.

Blackstar lashed his tail. "I _demand_ to speak!" he snapped. "Littlecloud has received a sign. I wish for him to share it with you all!"

 _A sign?_ All seemed hushed by the idea. Lionpaw looked towards the base of the leader's tree, where the medicine cats were seated.

Littlecloud, though not the youngest cat present, was certainly the smallest. Even Mothwing's apprentice, Willowpaw, was taller than him. The tiny ShadowClan medicine cat coughed uncomfortably, eyes clouded with unease. "Well…" he meowed. "A few nights ago, I had a dream. A warrior brought a strange bird into camp, one I had never seen before. When I bit into it, I found the belly was full of maggots."

Blackstar drew himself up and shot an accusatory glare at Firestar. "StarClan is warning us that strangers are poisoning the Clans!" he yowled.

Anxious whispers met his decree. Leafpool scowled and lifted her gaze to the leaders. "StarClan might be warning us to avoid strange prey!"

Mothwing flattened her ears. "You have no proof that this dream is about Clan cats!"

More cats began to yowl their agreement or dissent. Lionpaw pressed himself into his mother as the island was filled with screeches of the gathered cats. It was impossible to tell what any one cat was saying.

Then, the clearing was plunged into darkness. Lionpaw looked up. The thin wisps had become dark storm clouds, churning swiftly over the moon and stars. No light shone through.

Wails rose.

The darkness only seemed to spur Blackstar on. "StarClan is angry with _you_ , Firestar!" he roared. "StarClan lets us all suffer because _you_ weaken Clan blood!"

"Kittypets and outsiders!" shrieked Oakfur.

"You're destroying the warrior code!" Rowanclaw declared.

Stormfur lifted himself to his paws and hissed at a nearby ShadowClan warrior. A WindClan tom spat at a RiverClan molly.

Leopardstar let out a hiss. "Stop this madness!" she ordered. " _You_ have provoked this, Blackstar. StarClan is angry because of the fighting!"

Firestar narrowed his eyes. "ThunderClan will not be blamed for the problems of all!" he growled. "You say fresh blood weakens us, and yet your own deputy was rogue-born!"

Blackstar's eyes flashed. "Russetfur is more of a warrior than _you_ , Firestar!"

Russetfur let out a snarl. "Rogues and kittypets are hardly the same!"

"You sure _act_ like a rogue!" Berrypaw called. Brambleflower cuffed him over the ears in response and hissed something to him.

"Enough of this!" Leopardstar spat. "I will not watch this Gathering dissolve into chaos! The moon has already been covered!"

Squirrelflight stood slowly. "May I speak?" she called.

Firestar looked surprised, but he nodded. Blackstar curled his lip.

Squirrelflight looked around the gathered Clans. "I know we are all struggling," she started, "and tensions are rising. But we should look forward, not back. Newleaf is here and the prey is returning. We shouldn't let petty squabbles drive us to battle, least of all in a Gathering!"

A breeze swept across the island. Overhead, a small ray of moonlight shone through the dense cloud cover.

"StarClan agrees!" a RiverClan tom cried.

Squirrelflight carried on. "This is only our second newleaf at the lake," she reasoned. "We should celebrate the return of it with a special Gathering! We could meet in the daylight of the next full moon."

Blackstar looked skeptical, though even he seemed slightly soothed by the return of the moonlight. "Why would we do that?" he growled. "The truce is at night!"

A WindClan tom lifted his chin. "The moon is as full during the day as it is at night," he meowed.

"We should meet to share training skills," Squirrelflight urged. "We should not forget the Great Journey and the unity we shared."

"We could have contests!" Pikepaw called.

An older WindClan apprentice looked eager. "The apprentices could compete with each other!" he meowed.

"I'll beat any ThunderClan cat at hunting!" Owlpaw declared.

"No cat could beat Pouncepaw at fishing!" Mistyfoot added.

Stormfur shot Mistyfoot a fond glance. "There's not much competition for RiverClan in that!" he scoffed.

Lionpaw felt himself relax. The anger amongst the cats had turned to excitement at the idea.

Onestar looked mildly interested. "Where would we hold this?" he asked.

Firestar twitched his whiskers. "We could begin here, and then hold different challenges throughout the territories," he suggested. "Fishing in RiverClan, tree climbing in ThunderClan…"

"Races in WindClan!" Harepaw of WindClan called. Other WindClan cats chuckled.

Leopardstar seemed relieved by the passing tension. "All Clans could bring prey to share and bet," she meowed. "And the apprentices that win the challenges can have the best pick of the pile."

Lionpaw pricked his ears. _Now_ that _sounds fun!_

"The day of the next Gathering, then?" Onestar asked.

"That would be best," Firestar agreed. "Our apprentices can prepare and we can all think of different challenges for them."

"ThunderClan apprentices will do the best!" Berrypaw yowled. Brambleflower glared at him once more.

Leopardstar stood. "I believe we should end this Gathering," she meowed. "There is no point in sharing news after so much arguing. We should leave on a good note."

Firestar dipped his head. "Very well. This Gathering is over!" The ginger tom was quick to leap down from the tree. Onestar was next, followed by Leopardstar.

Only Blackstar remained, eyes blazing with fury. Lionpaw realized he had not spoken his agreement to the proposal. The ShadowClan leader tore at the bark of the branch with his claws for a moment before he too left the tree.

Lionpaw glanced fondly at his mother. _Squirrelflight smoothed things over,_ he thought. _But for how long?_

He swallowed uncomfortably as he saw Ivypaw gathering up with the other ShadowClan cats. His despair and nerves returned. _Will Firestar even let me participate after tonight?_ he wondered. _Ivypaw and ShadowClan were so upset… and I don't blame them._

Squirrelflight nudged Lionpaw. "Time to go," she meowed. "Let's get you to your nest." Though she smiled at him, Lionpaw could see worry brimming in her eyes.

Lionpaw nodded numbly and stood. He followed his mother towards the ThunderClan party. He waited for the others to come, numb to the excited chatter about the next Gathering. He glanced over his shoulder towards Ivypaw.

She was staring back at him, hatred burning in her single eye. A few heartbeats passed before Ivypaw curled her lip and tore her gaze away.

Lionpaw swallowed and looked away. _I'm sorry, Ivypaw._


	17. Chapter 16

**This was a fun chapter to write - and for once, we've got POVs from all our main characters!**

* * *

Hollypaw raced along the moorland, relishing the feeling of the wind in her fur. Onestar had finally lifted his ban on apprentices going out alone, now that a moon had passed since Heatherpaw had spotted her as a fox.

 _It's a beautiful day,_ she thought, purring to herself. It was pleasantly warm, and she could taste the scent of prey on her tongue. Now that newleaf was in full swing, she was sure to catch some fatter prey to bring home. _I'll find the biggest rabbit that I can to bring home! Onestar will be so impressed with me._

Hollypaw came to a stop at the top of a hill and surveyed her surroundings. The land flattened out before her, and was dotted with stones and thickets of heather. She stood still until she saw something moving through the tall grass. _There!_ She dropped into a crouch. Hollypaw creeped forward quickly, keeping her head and tail low. She slowed as she got closer to the hidden prey, wanting to shorten the distance as much as she could before she sprang.

Then, with a final check of the distance, Hollypaw leaped forward.

There was a shrill shriek as she collided with the rabbit she had been stalking. It struggled fiercely and broke free of her paws, then began to ran.

 _You're not getting away!_ Hollypaw thought, determined. She regained her balance quickly and took off after it.

The rabbit started running straight ahead, then veered off sharply to the side. Hollypaw gritted her teeth and swerved quickly to follow. She had been learning to be prepared for rabbits to quickly change direction to throw off a hunter, and she was determined to not let it go. The rabbit tried to feint to the other side once more, but Hollypaw was ready. She dug in her paws and turned, then pounced. This time, she knocked the rabbit down and rolled with it. Hollypaw sank her jaws into the back of its neck and wrapped her forelegs around it to hold it. The rabbit's legs churned for a few desperate moments before its movements slowed, then stilled altogether.

Hollypaw rolled to her belly and released the rabbit. "Thank you, StarClan, for this prey," she quickly recited. She picked up the rabbit in her jaws and dragged it towards a nearby heather bush to hide it.

 _That was quick,_ she thought. _I might as well see if I can find anything else._ Feeling motivated by her easy catch, Hollypaw started off again, ears trained for any sound of more fresh-kill.

Hollypaw closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. _Heather, lavender, the rabbit I just caught… Harepaw came through here a day or two ago…_ A final scent caught her attention. _Is that… Fern?_ The sharp tang of fox lingered in her nose. _I haven't seen her in so long. Is she still around?_ Hollypaw turned herself towards the direction of ThunderClan. She could see the trees in the distance. _I told her I would come see her again…_

 _I guess it couldn't hurt to look, right?_ Hollypaw thought, before she nodded to herself. She set off in the direction of the woodland, and tasted the air every so often for any fresh fox scent.

She had nearly reached the woods when a new, unfamiliar smell hit her. Hollypaw wrinkled her nose at it—it was quite disgusting, and it made her curl her lip. _What_ is _that?_ It smelled a bit similar to fox, but it seemed to be the foul stench of dung. Hollypaw turned away from the forest to try and find the source of the smell.

It didn't take her long—she quickly located a pile of fresh dung left by some large animal. Hollypaw recoiled from it, disgusted. _What in StarClan's name is that?_

Her question, it seemed, was quickly answered. She heard a loud bark from uphill, back the way she had just come. Hollypaw twitched her ears and turned to face the source of the sound. A big, shaggy animal was standing at the top of the hill, sniffing the air. Two more joined it. They had some fox-like features—longer snouts and wider noses—but they seemed to not be fox.

Hollypaw squinted. _Are those… dogs?_ She had heard plenty of stories about the dogs that twolegs would bring to guard sheep on the outskirts of their territory, or ones that would sometimes show up at the Horseplace, but she had never seen one before.

The first dog spotted her and began to bark repeatedly. Hollypaw stiffened. The other dogs drew back their lips and snarled. _They look angry!_

An idea struck her. _Maybe if I can turn into one of them… I could talk to them?_ Hollypaw narrowed her eyes and stared down the dogs as they barked at her from the hill. _Big and hairy… long ears… terrible scent…_ Hollypaw looked them over, trying to internalize every detail she could.

The strange feeling came over her again. She growled and clenched her eyes shut as she felt her muzzle growing bigger and wider. Her ears dropped down to her cheeks. Her fur seemed to bristle out.

"Dog?" barked one of the dogs. "Another dog?"

"Dog!" agreed a second dog. It glared down at her. "Bad dog!"

"Dog!" yelped the third. "Strange dog!"

"Hello?" Hollypaw called. She trotted towards the dogs, trying to lift her ears to appear friendly. "What's the matter with you all?"

Rather than pacify them, this only seemed to infuriate the dogs. "Bad dog!" roared the lead dog. "Don't belong here! Land for sheep!"

"You kill sheep!" the second accused.

"What?" Hollypaw blinked. "I've never seen any sheep."

"Lies!" growled the first. "Bad dog kill sheep!"

"We kill bad dog!" the third snarled.

 _Uh oh._ Hollypaw took a step back. Maybe this wasn't the best idea she'd ever had after all.

The dogs charged her, barking and yelping wordlessly. Hollypaw yelped and stumbled back. "Stop!" she protested. "I haven't seen any sheep here!"

Hollypaw's eyes widened as the dogs threw themselves upon her. _StarClan help me!_

She tried to roll away as the first dog lunged for her throat, but she was ungainly in this form, and fell onto her side. The second dog bit down on her leg, and she howled in pain. The third tore into her flank with his sharp teeth.

Hollypaw kicked out at the first dog and knocked him away from her, but the other two continued to bite at her wherever she could. Dizzy with pain and fear, she managed to tear herself away from her assailants. She forced herself to stand and run.

One of the dogs followed her for a moment, but the first stopped him. "More threats to sheep!" he barked. "Bad dog not come back."

Hollypaw stumbled towards the border stream. She made it to the bank before she collapsed. More pain seared through her as she felt herself growing small once more. She writhed on the ground for a few heartbeats, hissing. Hollypaw tried to stand once more, but she fell back to the earth. Her flank and shoulder were a mangled mess.

Hollypaw slumped to the ground. Her vision was fading. _StarClan, no!_ Panic gripped her chest. _I can't die!_

As she slowly began to slip from consciousness, she heard a yowl of surprise. "Great StarClan, there's a hurt apprentice!"

Hollypaw opened her eyes for just a moment in time to see a ThunderClan patrol running towards the stream. She weakly lifted her chin before her vision spun and all went dark.

* * *

Lionpaw dragged a big clump of moss towards the nursery. He dropped it for a moment to spit out a few scraps, then shoved the rest into the den with his nose.

Honeypaw and Cinderpaw were already inside. They had cleared all the old bedding out of the center of the den, and left it to the side to be collected later.

"About time!" Cinderpaw meowed. "Let's get these nests made so we can go do battle practice."

Lionpaw flicked his tail. "I've got to go collect some more for the elders," he replied. "But I'll probably see you there." He only felt the slightest twinge of nerves at the idea of battle practice—he hadn't had an episode like the one with Ivypaw since the battle. He had been careful in his training since.

"See you!" Honeypaw purred. She turned away to begin tugging apart the mass of moss.

Lionpaw headed back out of the den. Outside, Ferncloud and Daisy were watching as Foxkit and Icekit were playing a game of Mossball.

Foxkit looked up from their game and lifted his tail. "Lionpaw! Lionpaw!" he called. "Come play!"

Lionpaw purred as Icekit batted the ball of moss towards them. "I can't play now," he said. "But I'll throw it once." He hooked the ball with his claws and flung it across the camp.

The kits squealed with delight and took off after it. Lionpaw chuckled. He turned towards the slope that led out camp, ready to set off back into the forest to collect more moss.

Suddenly, Whitewing came bursting into camp, panting. Her fur stood on end. "Someone fetch Leafpool!" she yowled.

Brackenfur's head snapped up from where he was eating. He shot to his paws, eyes wide with worry. "What's going on? Was there an attack?" The fur along his spine lifted and his claws slid out.

"Not on our cats," Whitewing hurriedly explained. Her tail flicked about as she tried to catch her breath. She looked over her shoulder. "A WindClan apprentice."

Thornclaw and Spiderleg slowly padded into camp, struggling with something. Lionpaw narrowed his eyes. Between their shoulders was a black-furred cat, looking like she'd been torn to shreds.

The two warriors brought her to the center of camp and let her slide to the ground. Lionpaw's eyes widened as he saw the full scale of her wounds. Her shoulder had been ripped open by something _big_ , and her pelt was a tattered mess. She was bleeding from her flank, and one paw looked like it had been chewed up terribly.

Lionpaw shuddered. _What did that?_

Leafpool padded out of her den. "What's going on?" she called.

"Think dogs got her," Spiderleg growled. "Didn't see them attack, but they were running up into the moorland and she was left on the side of the stream."

Leafpool hurried to the molly's side. She looked down at her for hardly a heartbeat before her fur stood on end. Her eyes widened, as though she'd seen a ghost, and her jaws parted in the slightest.

"I don't know what her name is," Spiderleg continued. "She's a WindClanner, though. It was too far to bring her back to her own camp, especially with the dogs…" his voice trailed off uncertainly as he realized how horrified Leafpool looked.

"Leafpool?" Thornclaw prompted.

"Hollypaw," Leafpool said, voice hardly above a whisper. "Her name is Hollypaw." Her green eyes were dark with worry.

Lionpaw tilted his head curiously. _Hollypaw?_ The name sounded familiar. _She was announced at the Gathering at the same time as Breezepaw and Jaypaw. Is she their sister?_

Leafpool seemed to have regained her senses a few moments later. She shook herself. "Take her to my den," she ordered. "I'll need cobwebs—lots of them. After she's in my den I want you both to collect as many as you can find."

Thornclaw and Spiderleg exchanged an uncertain glance, as though they weren't particularly excited about spending even more of their time saving a WindClan apprentice, but neither argued. They leaned down and lifted the unconscious apprentice up once more.

Firestar finally padded out of his den. He frowned, looking concerned and confused. "Is there something the matter?" he asked.

Brackenfur turned towards him. "Whitewing's patrol brought back an injured WindClan apprentice," he quickly explained. "They said she was attacked by dogs."

Firestar bristled. "Dogs?" he urgently demanded. "Are they on our territory?"

Whitewing stepped forward to stand beside Brackenfur. "No, they were heading deeper into WindClan territory." She flicked her tail. "We didn't exactly stick around to see where they went after that."

"Deeper into WindClan…" Firestar flattened his ears. "They could be in trouble, then."

Brackenfur nodded. "They could," he agreed. "But we don't know for sure."

Firestar lifted his chin. "We'll send a patrol," he declared. "Dogs should not be ignored. ThunderClan knows better than most of how dangerous they are."

Lionpaw frowned. He had heard the story of how a pack of dogs had attacked ThunderClan in the old forest. He looked towards where Brightheart was sitting with Cloudtail. Her eye was round with fear.

 _That's how Brightheart got her scars,_ he recalled. Lionpaw glanced back at Firestar. _He won't send her on the patrol, will he?_ His mentor was certainly capable of battle, but it seemed cruel to pit her up against something that had traumatized her in the past.

Dustpelt curled his lip disapprovingly. "Why waste a patrol to WindClan?" he asked. "They aren't our allies. We just fought with them a few days ago!"

Firestar narrowed his eyes. "My orders are final," he growled, lashing his tail irritably. "Brackenfur, lead the patrol. Bring Ashfur, Brambleflower, Sorreltail, Rainwhisker, Berrypaw, and Lionpaw."

Lionpaw blinked. _Me?_ He swallowed. _I never thought Firestar would send me into battle again! Am I ready?_ A moment later, he shook his head. _Stop that! You're fighting_ dogs _, not warriors. Dogs that would kill any of us! I can do this._

"Very well," Brackenfur replied, with a dip of his head. He turned away. "You heard Firestar! If he named you, come with me. Be ready for anything!"

Lionpaw hurried towards him. _I can do this,_ he repeated. _I can do this._ _This won't be like last time!_

* * *

Breezepaw gnawed boredly on a rabbit carcass, trying to get any last flavor or meat off the bones. Jaypaw was sitting beside him, picking the dirt out of his claws.

Breezepaw looked towards the nursery as he heard laughter. The kits were outside, having some sort of a mock battle. Sunkit, who was already almost as large as Jaypaw, towered over the other kits. He twitched his whiskers curiously as he watched Thistlekit pounce on her. She growled ferociously, but was clearly playing very carefully. Her blows to the other kit were soft, and her claws were sheathed.

 _Seems like she's settling in,_ Breezepaw thought. He still wasn't sure how to feel about Onestar taking in a rogue. _I guess it's better that she's a kit,_ he reasoned. _It's not like we're taking in a grown_ kittypet _or anything._

He turned to Jaypaw, about to ask him when he thought Sunkit would be an apprentice, but a series of distant barks made him pause. Breezepaw pricked his ears. _Huh?_

Jaypaw bristled. "What's that?" he hissed.

Breezepaw tried to listen. The yelping sounded like it was getting closer. "I don't know—"

Owlwhisker appeared at the top of the slope leading into camp. He was racing as quickly as he could towards camp, tail bushed out to twice its side. His eyes were wide with panic as he let out a screech. " _DOGS_!"

The dogs soon came into sight behind them. There were three of them—big, hairy things, with their lips drawn back in anger—and they were charging right towards the camp!

Instantly, the WindClan cats were jumping to their paws and yowling in alarm. Breezepaw froze, momentarily stalled by fear. The dogs were _far_ bigger than any WindClan cat, and it looked like a single snap of their jaws could break any of them in half.

A cry of terror from the kits jolted him out of his panic. Breezepaw looked towards them, heart racing. _Fox-dung!_ Gorsetail and Dewspots had left camp for a walk, and whoever was supposed to be watching the kits was either slacking off or making dirt.

 _Kits first!_ Breezepaw shot across camp as the dogs raced down the slope. He snatched up the smallest, Swallowkit, by her scruff. "Get inside!" he snarled to the others. He hauled the kit into the nursery and dropped her inside. Breezepaw turned around, expecting to see Thistlekit, Sedgekit, and Sunkit behind him, but they hadn't obeyed.

 _Hare-brained kits!_ Breezepaw furiously thought. "Stay here!" he snapped, before he darted back outside.

A dog was running right towards the kits. Sunkit had put herself in front of the smaller kits and was arching her back. She let out a long hiss, but it did nothing to deter the oncoming dog. It barked madly, drips of slobber flying from its jaws.

Breezepaw raced past them, running straight for the dog. He swallowed back his fear, and leaped right for the dog's face. It yelped in surprise as he clung to its face with his claws. Breezepaw hissed and hauled himself onto the dog's shoulders. He scratched his claws down the dog's shoulder, but its pelt was far too thick for him to wound it there.

Breezepaw haphazardly turned himself on top of the dog. _I have to hurt it on its face!_

The dog snarled furiously and tried to shake itself to dislodge him, but he clung to it desperately. If he stopped distracting the dog, it would set itself upon the kits in an instant.

Jaypaw raced to his aid. The tom reared up and sliced his claws against the dog's nose, and it howled in pain as blood spurted from it. "Stupid dog!" Jaypaw spat.

The dog tried to bite into Jaypaw, but Breezepaw was faster. He bit down on the dog's hairy ear and pulled back. The ear was thick, far too thick for him to bite clean through, but it still hurt. The dog stepped backwards, whining.

An idea struck Breezepaw. _I know what I_ can _hurt!_ He pulled himself closer to the dog's face and struck down with his claws. His claws stabbed into the dog's eyes, and the resounding howl of pain was almost chilling.

The dog threw itself to the ground, and Breezepaw's eyes widened as he crashed into the earth. He tried to pull himself free, but the dog rolled right over him and crushed him.

All the breath went out of him. Breezepaw gasped for breath as the dog rolled off of him. He couldn't move enough to stand and get away, and panic seized at his belly as he thought the dog would turn on him and tear out his throat.

Instead, the dog stood and stumbled away, whining piteously, its face dripping with blood. Nightcloud and Willowclaw darted towards it and began to claw at its legs. Onestar was racing towards them to help.

Breezepaw nodded to himself and turned away. _They can handle it._

His confidence quickly faltered as he saw the chaos in the rest of the camp. Runningbrook and Tawnyfur were fighting one of the dogs. Behind them, Darkfoot was slumped on the ground, his side mangled and torn open. Ashfoot, Crowfeather, and Heatherpaw were fighting the third dog, but it seemed a little smarter than the dog Breezepaw had fought. It snapped at any cat that tried to move towards it and kept its rear to the camp wall.

Jaypaw turned towards him. "What do we do?" he asked. He was bristling, pale eyes wide with fear. "There's no way we can chase them out! We're missing a patrol's worth of warriors and half the apprentices!"

Breezepaw swallowed. Weaselfoot, Webfoot, and Whitetail had gone on patrol, and Harepaw, Antpaw, Emberpaw, and Leafpaw were all out practicing for their assessments. Hollypaw had gone hunting at sunrise and hadn't returned. _We can't spare anyone to go find them, and we can't fight them off with our numbers!_

He narrowed his eyes. "We have to try!" he growled. Breezepaw burned with a sudden feeling of determination—this was _his_ Clan, and he wouldn't let any mange-ridden dogs destroy it!

Jaypaw hesitated a moment before he nodded. "Right. Tawnyfur and Runningbrook need us the most. The dog is trying to finish off Darkfoot. Go help them, and I'll try to find Kestrelpaw or Barkface to get him away."

Breezepaw flicked his tail. _How does he know?_ Half the time, Jaypaw seemed more intuitive than any seeing cat in the Clan. There was no time to dwell, though, so he dipped his head. "Let's go!"

He turned and raced across camp towards the dog. It snapped for Tawnyfur's throat, but the lithe warrior ducked and rolled skillfully away. Breezepaw lifted his chin, eyes blazing. "Hey, ugly!" he yowled. "Over here, dirt-for-brains!"

The dog swung its wide head to look at him. He had no idea if it understood his insults, but it looked furious nonetheless at it drew back its lips and snarled. Runningbrook took the opportunity and dealt it a savage blow across the face. Her claws tore through its cheek, and it howled furiously. It whirled around at a startling speed and snatched her up by the spine. Tawnyfur yowled in horror as the dog lifted Runningbrook and began to shake her about like a dead piece of prey.

"No!" Breezepaw roared. He reared up and struck out at the dog's flank, but it would not be deterred. It jumped aside, snarling as it bit down into Runningbrook. The gray warrior shrieked as it turned and flung her to the ground.

The dog suddenly spun around and lunged for Breezepaw. He yowled and scrambled back, and the dog's jaws snapped on empty air. Flecks of spittle hit his face, and Breezepaw nearly retched. _Disgusting!_

A caterwaul rang out from the camp entrance. Even the dogs looked up curiously to find the source of the sound. Breezepaw turned to look, hoping to see WindClan reinforcements, but his heart sank as he saw _ThunderClan_ warriors.

Their deputy, Brackenfur, was leading a large patrol. "ThunderClan!" he yowled. "Attack!"

Breezepaw's eyes widened. Was ThunderClan so despicable that they would take advantage of the dogs to attack WindClan?

The patrol streamed into camp, yowling their battle cries. Breezepaw's shoulders slumped with relief as a few warriors threw themselves upon one of the dogs—they were here to _help_!

The dog Breezepaw was fighting started forward as though to chase after the new warriors, but Tawnyfur let out a snarl and launched herself towards its flank. "Oh, no you don't!" she spat, as her claws sank into its haunches. She hauled herself onto its back as Breezepaw had done before, and the dog stopped in its tracks and yelped in surprise.

Two ThunderClan cats raced to their aid—Lionpaw and Berrypaw. Berrypaw charged the dog head on, and reared up to swipe bravely at its face. Lionpaw ducked under the dog's belly and slashed upwards with his claws, slicing at the dog's belly.

Breezepaw blinked as he saw Lionpaw's tactic. _That's it! Their pelt is shorter on their stomachs._ He bolted forward and slid under the dog's belly, then began to claw at it from beneath as Lionpaw was doing.

With Tawnyfur still atop the dog, screeching with fury and clawing at its face, there was little it could do against the sudden onslaught of attacks. Breezepaw sank his teeth into one of the dog's forelegs, and it howled desperately as it tugged its leg away. Lionpaw snagged his claws into the dog's soft belly and pulled down with all his might, rolling onto his back to pummel it with his hind paws. Berrypaw slashed at the dog's face, and tore open its lip. Tawnyfur bit down on one ear and tore at the dog's pelt with her claws.

Finally, the dog had enough. It let out an ear-piercing cry as though it were screaming, and bolted forward. Tawnyfur was flung off its back as it raced for the camp entrance, tail tucked between its legs.

Berrypaw flicked his paw, scattering tufts of fur that had snagged in his claws. "Too easy!" he scoffed. Lionpaw nodded his agreement, eyes blazing with pride.

Breezepaw's excitement at the dog's retreat quickly soured. He scowled at the ThunderClan toms and scoffed. "We could have done fine without you," he snapped.

Tawnyfur stood from where she had fallen, looking a bit dazed but still in one piece. She narrowed her eyes at Breezepaw. "Don't be ungrateful!" she hissed. "Worry about fighting the dogs, not pride!"

Her final order was unnecessary, it seemed. The ThunderClan reinforcements had turned the tide of the battle, and now, the other two dogs were turning tail and fleeing into the moorland again.

Breezepaw lashed his tail and spat on the ground. "Good riddance!"

Onestar was panting heavily and bleeding from a torn ear, but he swiftly climbed up to the top of the back slope and let out a short yowl. "The dogs are gone!"

WindClan and ThunderClan warriors yowled together victoriously. For once, the rivalry between Clans was forgotten. Breezepaw watched as Crowfeather and Brambleflower touched noses, and Brackenfur and Ashfoot shared a nod.

"Breezepaw!" Onestar called. "I want you to check the perimeter. Make sure there's no dogs sniffing about!"

Breezepaw puffed out his chest. "I'm on it!" He turned and bounded towards the camp entrance, victory fueling him. Warm pride flooded him—he _knew_ he had done well in the battle, and now it was _his_ job to make sure the camp was safe.

He paused at the top of the slope and glanced around. The dogs seemed to have vanished completely. Breezepaw curled his lip contemptuously. _Stupid furballs! They'd better stay away for good._ He turned to creep around the edge of the camp, sniffing over the boundary of undergrowth.

Breezepaw slowly made his way around camp, ears trained for any sound of returning dogs. He made it back to the camp entrance without finding a trace of their attackers. Breezepaw nodded to himself before he hurried back down the slope into camp.

"No sign of the dogs!" he announced. "And there's no damage to the barrier."

Crowfeather glanced his way and narrowed his eyes. "Are you _sure_?" he demanded. "Did you check all the way around?"

"Yes!" Breezepaw snapped, bristling furiously. _Of course I'm sure! I'm not a hare-brain!_

Before he could say anything, Nightcloud darted between them, tail lashing. "You should have more faith in your son, Crowfeather," she spat.

Breezepaw turned up his nose at his father. "Whitetail's my mentor, not _you_."

Crowfeather's eyes blazed with anger, and he looked as though he were about to snap at them until he looked around and shut his jaws, as though suddenly remembering WindClan wasn't alone in their camp. He turned around with a lash of his tail to face Brambleflower. "It was good to see you," he muttered, hardly sounding pleased at all.

Brambleflower dipped his head. His gaze travelled towards Breezepaw. "Is that your son?"

Breezepaw flattened his ears. _Sometimes I wish I wasn't._

"Yes," Crowfeather replied, with an irritable flick of his tail.

Brambleflower looked amused. "He has your attitude, that's for sure." His whiskers twitched, and he looked curious. "What about your other kits?" As soon as he had asked the question, his eyes widened. "StarClan, I nearly forgot! A patrol found Hollypaw on the border. It looked like the dogs had attacked her. She's alive, but—"

Nightcloud let out a shriek. " _What?!_ " She darted towards Brambleflower. "Where is she?" she demanded, eyes wide.

Breezepaw blinked. _Hollypaw's hurt?_ He felt a nervous twinge in his stomach. _She's fine, right?_

Brambleflower took a step back, looking almost nervous. "She's… well, the patrol brought her back to camp, and Leafpool is tending to her wounds…"

" _Leafpool?_ " Nightcloud snarled. "We have perfectly capable medicine cats right here! Why would you take her from her Clan?"

Brackenfur moved to stand beside Brambleflower. "We aren't keeping her prisoner," he calmly explained, clearly trying to soothe her. "It was just faster and safer to take her back to our camp. You can come get her as soon as you'd like."

Nightcloud was bristling, looking more furious than Breezepaw had ever seen her before—which was saying _something_ , considering how many times he'd seen her screech at Crowfeather. "I'll collect her _now,_ " she growled.

Breezepaw shifted awkwardly. _What's her problem?_ He wondered. _I don't trust ThunderClan either, but they said they were just treating her wounds._ Nightcloud was acting as though Brambleflower had said ThunderClan was going to throw Hollypaw back to the dogs.

Breezepaw felt a stab of bitterness. _Maybe getting hurt serves her right for always running around thinking she's better than us,_ he thought, crossly. _It's not like she's going to die._

Ashfoot padded towards Brackenfur. "How badly hurt was she?"

Brackenfur looked uncertain. "She was bitten up pretty badly," he said. "But Leafpool is skilled. I think she'll be alright with some rest and treatment."

"And do you think she can walk back to WindClan camp?" Ashfoot asked.

Brambleflower shook his head. "I doubt it," he replied. "She wasn't even conscious when she was found."

Ashfoot flicked her tail. "Then we can go retrieve her tomorrow," she decided. "Nightcloud, she's safe in the paws of ThunderClan."

Nightcloud curled her lip. "How can you say that?" she demanded. "You think I'd leave my daughter with _her?_ "

Breezepaw narrowed his eyes. _Does Nightcloud just hate_ Leafpool _? Is that why she's so upset?_

Ashfoot looked uncomfortable. "Er… I know you have your differences, Nightcloud, but…"

"But _nothing_!" Nightcloud snapped. "I'll go _myself_ if you won't send a patrol!"

Crowfeather finally spoke up. "Oh, calm down," he grumbled. "Hollypaw will be fine."

Nightcloud whirled upon him. "Oh, _of course_ you'd defend her!"

Onestar let out a loud yowl. "Enough!"

Breezepaw tore his gaze away from his parents to stare up at Onestar. The leader's lip was curled in disgust. "I expect better from my warriors," he hissed. "Especially towards cats who have just helped us protect our camp!"

Nightcloud padded towards the slope, her tail whipping about furiously. "Onestar!" she cried. "You can't expect me to be fine with Hollypaw with that… that _fox-heart_ of a medicine cat!"

Brambleflower curled his lip. "Don't talk about Leafpool like that!"

Breezepaw was still confused to no end. _What did Leafpool do to make Nightcloud so mad?_

Onestar lashed his tail. "I said _enough_!" he snapped. "If you wish to go see Hollypaw, you may go with the ThunderClan patrol to their camp. But I will _not_ allow it if you cannot promise to be civil in their camp!"

Nightcloud's teeth were bared, but after a heartbeat, she nodded. "Fine!" she growled.

"Good," Onestar replied. He took a breath. "I want the most wounded cats to be checked over by Kestrelpaw. I need all others who are able to patrol to check the territory and look for the other apprentices and the patrol that went to the RiverClan border."

Breezepaw glanced towards the medicine cats' den. Barkface was still sick—the only cat, in fact, who was still ill—and Kestrelpaw had been taking on all of the responsibilities of being a medicine cat. _At this rate, he's going to be a full medicine cat before his brothers are warriors._

Ashfoot nodded gratefully towards her leader, likely glad that he had ended the confrontation. "Right," she meowed, and looked carefully around the camp. "I want Crowfeather to take a patrol towards RiverClan—bring Tawnyfur and Heatherpaw—and I'll take a patrol up to the higher moorland to find the apprentices. I'll take… Willowclaw and Jaypaw."

Breezepaw was almost irritated that he had not been chosen, but he quickly realized just how exhausted he was. He had been one of the lucky cats to avoid getting bitten, but he had fought hard, and he was sore and tired. _I guess resting wouldn't hurt,_ he thought.

Crowfeather leaned towards Nightcloud and hissed, "Don't go making a fool of yourself in ThunderClan." He then turned away sharply and headed for the camp entrance.

Breezepaw glared after him. _Fox-heart!_ He thought, before he turned and padded towards his nest at the edge of camp. He sank down into it and half-closed his eyes. Though he wouldn't fall asleep with the bustle of the camp, he certainly needed the rest.

* * *

Jaypaw padded beside Willowclaw up the moorland, trying to catch any trace of Antpaw, Harepaw, Leafpaw, or Emberpaw. Every so often there would be a scent trail, but they were stale.

Ashfoot stiffened up ahead. "Hold on a moment," she meowed. "I smell something. Jaypaw, come here. You've got a better nose than me."

Jaypaw lifted his ears, feeling a rush of pride at her comment. He padded to where the deputy was standing. He tasted the air, and recognized the scent in a heartbeat. _Harepaw!_ The scent was fresh, but hardly there. _He must have come through here quickly. Maybe they were racing?_ A more worrying thought struck him. _Or were they running from dogs?_

"It's Harepaw," Jaypaw finally meowed. "But the scent is light. I think he ran by… but why?"

Willowclaw padded a few fox-lengths away, sniffing the air. "I think he went this way. I smell Leafpaw, too."

Jaypaw followed his mentor. They padded onwards, and soon, Jaypaw picked up the scents of Antpaw and Emberpaw as well. _What were they doing?_

Ashfoot seemed nervous. "The grass is flat here," she said. "They might have stopped here for a while."

Willowclaw took a few steps up the slope. "Then the trail goes on this way," she said. "Hold on… I smell _Dewspots_ too."

 _Dewspots?_ Jaypaw frowned. The queen had gone out with Gorsetail in the morning. He swallowed nervously. _Great StarClan, Onestar forgot all about sending someone to look for_ them _. Did she run into the others? And where's Gorsetail?_

"We need to keep going." Ashfoot's voice was grim as she stepped towards the slope. "We can see more from up here, anyway." She glanced back at Jaypaw to explain. "We're near the farthest back of the territory now," she meowed. "It's the highest, too. The land flattens out at the top of the slope. You should be able to get a better smell of everything, too."

Jaypaw was grateful for the brief explanation—it was rare someone took the time to give him one. He imagined the landscape in his head as they walked up the slope, mapping it away for later.

The slope was only a quick ascent. As soon as Jaypaw stood on the flat top of the moor, he was hit by a strong breeze.

He stiffened. The breeze brought a now-unforgettable scent with it— _dog_.

Willowclaw and Ashfoot had smelled it too. Jaypaw jumped as Willowclaw let out a startled yowl. "Leafpaw!"

Jaypaw tasted the air. He caught another scent, this time, and felt sick. _Blood._

Ashfoot broke into a run. "Leafpaw!" she called.

 _What's going on?_ Jaypaw was confused and frightened. He didn't hear any dogs, but he certainly smelled them—had they been here? What was wrong with Leafpaw? He hurried after the deputy, mind racing.

"Ashfoot!" Harepaw's voice called out. It seemed to be coming from above—the tom must have been perched on a large boulder. "Oh, Ashfoot, there were these dogs…"

"Willowclaw!" Dewspots cried. "Thank StarClan you're alright!" She was with Harepaw on the boulder, as were Emberpaw and Antpaw, from the scent of it.

Ashfoot let out a desperate cry. "Leafpaw! What happened to him?"

Jaypaw padded to her side. She had stopped beside Leafpaw, who was lying on the ground. Jaypaw stepped forward, sniffing. His paw stepped in something wet and hot. He recoiled immediately. "What happened?" he demanded.

Ashfoot didn't reply. She wailed in anguish and buried her head in Leafpaw's fur.

 _No._ Jaypaw stumbled back as realization hit him. _He's not—he isn't…_

Willowclaw's shoulders slumped. "He's dead," she murmured.

"No!" Emberpaw yowled. "He's fine! He's just unconscious! He just needs to see Barkface, and then he'll be alright!" Despite his words, his voice was twisted with rage and sorrow. Even he knew there was no hope for his brother.

Ashfoot looked up from Leafpaw's body. "What happened?" she asked, voice hoarse with grief.

It was Antpaw that explained. "We were out practicing some battle moves and hunting techniques… and we were wondering why no one came for us, 'cause Tawnyfur and Runningbrook said they'd come help us around sun-high… and then we ran into Dewspots."

"I was walking with Gorsetail when the dogs showed up," Dewspots said, quietly. "They looked like they were in rough shape, but they were _mad_. We got split up, and I think Gorsetail went running towards RiverClan… The dogs all followed me, though."

Jaypaw could feel the powerful waves of fear from Willowclaw. "You're not hurt, are you?" Willowclaw called. "Come down here, for StarClan's sake!"

Dewspots leaped down, and Willowclaw rushed to her side. "I'm fine, I swear," Dewspots reassured her. "I ran into the apprentices here." She turned towards Leafpaw, and sorrow rolled off of her. Jaypaw could taste it like a sour piece of fresh-kill. "He was so brave… the others helped me up onto the rock, and just when the dogs were about to try and jump up to get us, he flew down on them."

Jaypaw heard more thuds as the other apprentices jumped down from the rock. A sob shook Emberpaw as he slumped down next to Leafpaw's body. "He didn't deserve to die," he choked out. "The last thing I got to tell him was that his hunter's crouch was sloppy. I should've…"

"None of that," Ashfoot suddenly snapped. "I won't have you blaming yourself." She straightened up and shook her head sadly. "He shouldn't have died… but he died the death of a warrior. I'll see that Onestar gives him a warrior name—and that he gives you _all_ your names."

"What?" Antpaw gasped. "But we haven't had our assessments!"

"You risked your lives protecting a queen," Ashfoot replied. Her voice was slightly clearer, now—it was clear to Jaypaw that she was trying to compose herself for the sake of everyone else. "No leader could ask for more. You've proved your worth." She leaned down and pressed her nose to Leafpaw's cheek. "I only wish that he could have stood beside you when you receive your names. Will someone help me carry him?"

Emberpaw stood. "I will," he murmured. Together, they pushed Leafpaw's body between their shoulders, and Willowclaw helped them to slide it across their backs. Leafpaw hung limply across them.

 _Poor Leafpaw,_ Jaypaw thought. He felt a mix of grief and pity, though he hardly knew why. _I didn't even like him,_ he thought. _He was always rude to me. But he sacrificed himself for Dewspots and the others… I guess he was an alright cat, in the end._ He felt especially terrible for Emberpaw. _How would I feel if I lost Breezepaw? Or what if ThunderClan didn't save Hollypaw?_ His stomach churned as they began to walk back in the direction of camp. _What if_ I _died?_

Uncertainty gnawed at him. _Am I even brave enough to be willing to_ die _for my Clan?_

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **HQQFandoms:** Well, everything is going to be pretty accelerated in terms of the timeline, so that's a yes! They'll all find out much sooner.

 **Sedated Dreams:** There's definitely separation with the three so far, but the dynamics _will_ change significantly as the story progresses. As for how it changes... well, I won't give that all away yet! While I won't confirm or deny some of your theorizing, I will say that I love seeing people's theories about the plot! Here's what I can say: I do agree that Hollypaw's is a little less 'natural' than Jaypaw or Lionpaw's—it was kind of difficult to come up with another one that I hadn't really seen used before and that wasn't just Dovewing's power. I thought about having her see the future, but I've seen a few other fics that have used that and wanted to do something different. Hopefully you warm to it! I do have a lot of things planned for her in regards to it.

I am a fan of Brambleheart as a name for Brambleclaw as well, though I do disagree that -flower is too feminine—I don't really think the cats in warriors have the same concepts of femininity and masculinity as people do, and there's no reason in my mind that it couldn't be normal to have toms with names relating to flowers.

 **Kaktus Kaktus** : There will definitely be more of Ivypaw (and Spottedleaf) in the future! As for Hollypaw, there will eventually be some of her thoughts on it, but for the time being there hasn't been much because she really is just kind of... unaware about it. She doesn't realize quite yet the divide there is between her and her brothers, but that certainly won't last forever. I won't give away Lion's future love life (partially because I have yet to make final decisions about it), but I am a fan of LionBerry myself too!


	18. Chapter 17

Hollypaw groaned softly as she woke. Her shoulder and flank throbbed dully with pain; her vision was murky for a few moments as she opened her eyes.

The scents around her were warm and unfamiliar. Hollypaw quickly became aware of another cat pressed against her back.

The stranger gently rasped their tongue over Hollypaw's forehead. "Rest," the cat murmured. "You're safe, dear one."

Hollypaw could hardly cling to consciousness. Her throat was dry, and she tried to turn to look at the cat beside her, but her vision swam once more and all went dark.

* * *

The next time Hollypaw awoke, it was dark. She felt less terrible that she had the first time she had awoken, and this time, there was no cat pressed against her. Hollypaw lifted her chin and blinked a few times, trying to make sense of her surroundings. She seemed to be in a small cave, as the walls of the den around her were dark earth. The entrance to the den was surrounded by tendrils of bramble, with a small hole to go in and out of.

"Oh!" a soft voice exclaimed. "You're awake!"

Hollypaw started in her nest and looked over her shoulder. A young gray molly was sitting in the den, staring at Hollypaw with her bright blue eyes. "You've been sleeping since you got here," the molly went on. "Leafpool went outside to talk to someone and left me here to keep an eye on you." She shuffled closer to Hollypaw. "How do you feel?"

Hollypaw was quiet for a few moments, overwhelmed by the sudden stream of words. She shook her head briefly before she tried to push herself up into a sitting position. "Where… where am I?" The only thing she knew was that she wasn't in WindClan. The name Leafpool sounded familiar, but she was far too dazed to place it.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," the molly meowed. "You're in ThunderClan! A patrol found you on the border and brought you back here. They said some dogs attacked you? Anyway, my name's Cinderpaw…"

As the molly continued to chatter, everything came flooding back to Hollypaw. The dogs, the attack, collapsing on the border…

"Great StarClan!" Hollypaw exclaimed, leaping to her paws. Fear gripped at her. "There's dogs in WindClan! They might attack the camp!"

"Whoa there," Cinderpaw cautioned. Hollypaw wobbled weakly on her paws, and Cinderpaw moved forward and gently guided her back into the nest. "WindClan's just fine. We sent a patrol to help them. The dogs did attack, but they were all chased off." She shuffled her paws. "They brought back a WindClan cat to take you back there."

"Who?" Hollypaw asked.

"Er…" Cinderpaw flicked her tail. "She had black fur and amber eyes. I didn't get her name."

 _Nightcloud!_ Hollypaw felt relief wash over her. _Thank StarClan she's alright._ Hardly a moment later, however, worry flooded her again. _What about Jaypaw and Breezepaw? Crowfeather? Onestar? Ashfoot? Cinderpaw said WindClan was fine… but is_ everyone _really fine?_

"That's my mother," Hollypaw finally meowed. "Can… can I see her?"

Cinderpaw nodded. "I'll go get her." She hurried out of the den and vanished from view.

Hollypaw shifted anxiously in her nest. The thought of being inside the heart of an enemy Clan was already unnerving, but now she had to wait for Nightcloud to bring her news of her family and Clanmates.

Thankfully, it only took a moment. Nightcloud came rushing into the den, eyes wide. "Thank StarClan, you're alright!" she cried. The black-furred queen practically threw herself upon Hollypaw and began to cover her in hurried licks.

"Mother!" Hollypaw exclaimed, feigning exasperation. Deep down, though, she felt relieved to see her mother and comforted by her flurry of affection. "I'm fine, really!"

" _Fine_?" Nightcloud demanded. "Hollypaw, you're a mess! Oh, look at you… If I could get my claws on those dogs again…" she let out a deep growl. "I'd spread their entrails from here to Highstones!"

" _Mother_!" gasped Hollypaw, though she nearly laughed at Nightcloud's threat. "Are you alright? They didn't hurt you, did they? Or Jaypaw or Breezepaw? Crowfeather?"

Nightcloud shook her head and drew Hollypaw closer. "Stars above, you're sitting wounded in a medicine cat's den and you're worried about how _I_ am," she meowed. "Your brothers are fine. So is Crowfeather."

"What about everyone else?" Hollypaw pressed.

"Well, I don't know," Nightcloud murmured. "Darkfoot and Runningbrook were in rough shape when I left, but some cats were missing when the attack happened. I didn't stick around to see if they got back. I wanted to come make sure _you_ were okay."

The brambles by the den's entrance rustled. A small brown-and-white molly stepped into the den. Her leaf-green gaze was soft as it travelled down to Hollypaw. "How are you feeling, Hollypaw?" she gently asked.

Hollypaw shifted in her nest to face the molly. "My shoulder hurts," she admitted. "The bite on my flank isn't as bad." Her whole body was sore, and she knew from moments ago that she would have trouble walking presently. "I'm awfully tired, though."

Nightcloud ignored the ThunderClan cat. "Can you make it back to WindClan?" she suddenly asked. "We can get you back in your nest tonight. Kestrelpaw will take care of you."

Hollypaw's ears flattened. "I… I don't think so," she replied.

The ThunderClan cat stepped forward. "She needs rest, Nightcloud," she said. "I can care for her until she's ready to leave."

Nightcloud glared up at the cat. " _I'm_ her mother, Leafpool," she retorted. There was a strange edge to her voice. "I know what's best for her." She remained bristling for a few moments longer before she glanced back at Hollypaw. Nightcloud's gaze softened. "But… if _she_ says she needs to stay, then I'll stay with her here tonight."

Leafpool shifted awkwardly. "You'll stay here?" she asked. "Yes… I suppose that would be fine." She shook herself a little. "I mean, of course you may. I'll see to it that the apprentices bring you both some water and something to eat. I… I can sleep in the nursery tonight." She seemed to be talking to herself as she went on. "I need to make sure Daisy is doing well anyway, and check in on the kits…"

Nightcloud cleared her throat, and Leafpool jumped slightly. "Er… sorry," Leafpool mumbled. "I'll… I'll go now. I'll be back in a little while to check on Hollypaw's wounds. Make yourself comfortable, Nightcloud."

Leafpool started towards the exit to the den, but hesitated just before she could leave. "Nightcloud?" she called. "How is Jaypaw?"

Nightcloud was quiet for a heartbeat. Hollypaw noticed that her gaze seemed to soften once more. "He's fine. He wasn't hurt in the attack. He… he fought well."

Leafpool nodded quickly before she slipped away without another word.

Hollypaw stared out the den for a few moments, feeling befuddled. _That was… weird._ She pushed it aside and glanced back at her mother. "Thank you for coming for me," she murmured. "I don't know what I would do if I was alone here."

Nightcloud laid down beside Hollypaw and curled her tail around her. "Of course," she purred. "I won't be caught sitting in camp while one of my kits is off in a strange territory."

Hollypaw sighed softly and leaned into her mother. The day had taken a great toll on her, physically and mentally, but with her mother by her side, she felt her worry melt away. She closed her eyes and curled into Nightcloud's side. _Those dogs were so horrible,_ she thought. _Trying to talk to them was stupid. I'm never trying to do… whatever that was again. Not again. I almost got myself killed._

* * *

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in return."

Emberpaw, Harepaw, and Antpaw were standing before Onestar, ready to receive their warrior names. The body of Leafpaw lay between them and the WindClan leader.

Breezepaw watched the somber ceremony with half-closed eyes. The camp was a mess, blood and fur littering the place, and few were in good spirits. Though Runningbrook was in a stable condition, Darkfoot had died of his injuries shortly after the dogs had retreated. The two deaths weighed heavily upon the Clan. Even the apprentices that were about to receive their names couldn't muster up excitement. They each stood with drooped tails and their ears flat.

Tawnyfur, Emberpaw and Leafpaw's mother, looked on with dark, grieving eyes. Emberpaw glanced once at his mother, and she smiled at him, but Breezepaw saw her smile fade as soon as he looked back to Onestar.

Breezepaw dug his claws into the soft earth. _I wish I could get my claws on those dogs again,_ he thought, pelt pricking with anger. _I'd claw their eyes out! Rip out their tails!_

Onestar padded down from the top of the slope. He stopped at Leafpaw's body. "First, I wish to send Leafpaw to StarClan with the name of a warrior. He died bravely defending a queen, and I have no doubt in my mind he has earned his name in death." He crouched beside Leafpaw. "I ask my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. He has learned the warrior code and given his life for his Clan. Let StarClan receive him as a warrior. He will be known to you as Leaftail."

A quiet sob escaped Tawnyfur. Weaselfur and Willowclaw, fellow tunnelers, shifted closer and pressed against either side of her. She brushed past them and padded to her dead son's side. Tawnyfur crouched at Leaftail's flank and laid beside him.

Onestar pressed his muzzle against Leaftail's forehead. A few heartbeats passed, and he straightened once more. "I'm sorry," he murmured. He lifted his gaze and padded past Leaftail's body towards the living apprentices. "You all fought bravely with him," he meowed. "Emberpaw, do you swear to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Emberpaw's gaze never left his brother's body. "I do," he replied, hoarse with grief.

Onestar stepped forward and rested his muzzle on top of Emberpaw's. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this moment on, you will be known as Emberfoot. StarClan honors your courage and kindness."

Emberfoot licked Onestar's shoulder and stepped back. Onestar turned to Antpaw. "Antpaw," he meowed. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Antpaw nodded. "I do."

Onestar stepped forward to touch his muzzle as he had with Emberfoot. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this moment forward, you will be known as Antpelt. StarClan honors your strength and forethought."

Finally, Onestar padded to Harepaw. "Harepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Harepaw narrowed his eyes. His voice only wavered in the slightest as he replied, "I do."

Onestar pressed his muzzle to Harepaw's. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From now on, you will be known as Harespring. StarClan honors your speed and wit."

Onestar stepped backwards. "Congratulations to all of you." His voice was flat, devoid of joy.

There were a few moments of uncomfortable silence. Finally, Heatherpaw lifted her chin. "Leaftail!" she called. "Emberfoot!"

Breezepaw quickly took up the cheer with her. "Antpelt! Harespring!"

The Clan quickly snapped out of their stupor, and the other cats began to cheer with them. "Leaftail! Emberfoot! Antpelt! Harespring! Leaftail! Emberfoot! Antpelt! Harespring!"

The new warriors were not roused by the chant. The loss of their companion had clearly struck them all deeply. They did not wait for Onestar to order them to their vigil—each silently pressed against Leaftail one last time before they headed for the camp entrance and took up their positions.

Breezepaw watched them go. _What a terrible way to become warriors,_ he thought. He had always looked forward to the day he would become a warrior, as he was sure the older toms did, but now their ceremony would be forever marred by Leaftail's death.

 _I hate dogs!_ Breezepaw thought, with a lash of his tail. _If I see another dog on WindClan territory… I'll_ kill _it._

The sun was already descending, sky darkening as it lowered on the horizon. Morningflower quietly began to pull Darkfoot's body out of camp. Normally Darkfoot would be with her to bury the dead—but now, she was alone.

Webfoot hurried to her side. "I'll help you," he meowed. Breezepaw noticed how gray the warrior's muzzle was becoming. _Perhaps Morningflower won't be alone for long after all,_ he thought.

Breezepaw's gaze travelled to his father. Crowfeather was sitting across camp, talking quietly to Whitetail. Breezepaw's eyes narrowed. Crowfeather had said nothing kind to him since the battle, neither commenting on how skillfully Breezepaw had fought nor even mentioned that he was at least glad that Breezepaw hadn't been torn to shreds.

Breezepaw turned his back to him, his pelt beginning to bristle with anger. _He didn't even ask me if I was okay. Just snapped at me about the barrier! I hate him. He's never cared about me!_ A darker thought came to his mind. _I wish the dogs had killed him instead of Leaftail._

A heartbeat later, guilt washed over him, and his fur flattened. _How can I think that?_ Breezepaw wondered. _He's my father._ Breezepaw glanced reluctantly over his shoulder. Crowfeather didn't look his way, and Breezepaw's anger came rushing back. _So what if he is? He doesn't act like it!_ For once, Breezepaw wished WindClan had dens like the other Clans, so that he could go hide away in one and not have to look at Crowfeather.

Instead, he padded towards his nest and threw himself down into it. Breezepaw drew his paw over his eyes and hoped he would be left alone for the rest of the night.

It seemed his prayers would not be answered. Hardly a few moments after he settled down, a paw brushed his shoulder. Breezepaw removed his paw from his muzzle and opened his eyes, ready to snap at whoever was bothering him.

It was Gorsetail. Breezepaw forced himself to relax at the sight of the queen. She looked weary, but she smiled as he looked up at her. "Hello, Breezepaw," she meowed. "Sorry to wake you."

"I wasn't asleep," Breezepaw grunted. He pushed himself up to a sitting position. "What is it?"

"Ah," Gorsetail's tail flicked. "I just… I wanted to thank you. Ashfoot saw that you rushed the kits into the nursery when the dogs attacked." She lowered her gaze. "I don't know what I would have done if… if..." Gorsetail shook her head quickly, as though she couldn't bear to say it. "I'm very grateful to you, that's all. Thank you, Breezepaw, for saving my kits."

Breezepaw felt pleasantly surprised by the queen's gratitude. He smiled without meaning to, and his chest fur puffed out with pride. "Oh! That's… that's alright." He shuffled his paws awkwardly. "It wasn't a big deal."

Gorsetail smiled kindly at him. "Well, it's a very big deal to me. Thank you, Breezepaw." She turned away and padded back towards the nursery.

Breezepaw watched her go. It was a rare moment of calm and pleasure for him—he was rarely praised for anything he did. He felt warm with pride. _I did something right,_ he thought.

Breezepaw let himself look across camp. Jaypaw was padding away from the fresh-kill pile, a small mole in his jaws. He walked past where Crowfeather was sitting. For a brief moment, Jaypaw stopped, slowly turning his head in the direction of his father. Crowfeather's gaze slid towards him, and he stared at his son for a few heartbeats.

Breezepaw then saw Crowfeather snort and turn back to Whitetail without a word to Jaypaw. The apprentice's ears flattened halfway in disappointment. The fur along his spine bristled and he hurried away towards the corner of camp.

He frowned. All too quickly, his fury came rushing back. _He won't even say_ something _to Jaypaw?_ Breezepaw thought, with a lash of his tail. Even if Jaypaw didn't like to say it, it hurt him just as much as Breezepaw when Crowfeather refused to praise him. Jaypaw had fought just as well as any other cat in the battle with the dogs, and all Crowfeather could muster up was a disgruntled snort in his direction.

 _What is_ wrong _with him?_ Breezepaw wondered, bristling with frustration. His warm joy had twisted into a burning fury. It blazed inside him like a raging fire. _Would he even care if it had been me or Jaypaw that died instead of Leaftail?_ He sank his claws into the earth. _I doubt it. He'd probably just spit on our graves._

Breezepaw turned around once more and laid down in his nest. He curled his thin tail around himself. _I hate Crowfeather. I hate him._

Eventually, even Breezepaw's anger could not keep him awake. As the camp settled down, and the sky became darker, he drifted into sleep, pelt still bristling like the back of a hedgehog.

* * *

Breezepaw opened his eyes. He was standing in what seemed to be an open field, just on the edge of a thick forest. He knew he had to be asleep, for he was not in his nest, but this felt different than a dream. There was no confusion or murkiness or mindless wandering. He felt as clear-headed and aware as though he were awake.

Breezepaw glanced around. The grass around him was tall, growing up to his shoulders. He could smell fresh prey on the wind. He turned in a circle, trying to get his bearings. It seemed the open field was really just a strip of a clearing. Though it stretched out on either end, there were two forests—one in front of him, and one directly behind.

A sound caught his attention—rustling of grass. Breezepaw's ears pricked cautiously. He tasted the air, but couldn't smell anything other than prey-scent.

The grass before him parted, and a cat stepped towards him. She was a small, mottled brown tabby, with a thick coat. Thin scarlines ran over one eye, and a larger one cut through the fur on her throat. Her green eyes stared sympathetically back at him. "Ah," she meowed. "There you are. I've been looking for you for quite some time, Breezepaw. Seems you've finally found your way to us."

Breezepaw blinked. _How does she know my name?_ He narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?" he demanded.

The molly padded forward. Slowly, she circled around him, eyes scanning his body as she walked. She nodded to herself, as though approving of what she saw.

"What are you doing?" Breezepaw demanded.

"You're strong," the molly commented. "I can see it in you. You've got spirit, Breezepaw. You've got a lot of hurt in there, too, don't you?"

Breezepaw flattened his ears. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The molly stopped in front of him once more. "Come now, Breezepaw, you don't have to hide it. I've been watching over you. I've seen the way _he_ treats you. Don't you hate it? Aren't you sick of it? Crowfeather is more rogue than Clan cat, if you ask me."

Breezepaw stepped back, mind reeling. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "How do you know about that?"

The tabby sat down. "Like I said," she meowed. "I've been watching over you. You're special, Breezepaw."

 _Special?_ That caught his attention. He tilted his head to one side, feeling curious. "Watching over me…" he echoed. "Are you… are you a StarClan cat?"

The molly's eyes glittered. "Something like that."

Breezepaw's eyes widened. _StarClan warriors have been paying attention to_ me? The thought thrilled him. He stepped closer. "You said you know about Crowfeather," he pressed. "He's wrong, yeah? It's not right how he acts!"

The molly nodded. "That's right, Breezepaw," she meowed. "My friends and I… we don't like it one bit. No warrior should treat their Clanmate that way—certainly not their own kit!"

 _Yes! Yes!_ Breezepaw's tail flicked about. He felt endlessly relieved. _Even StarClan thinks so!_

The stranger stood up. "Listen, Breezepaw," she meowed. "I can help you get stronger. I can make it so that Crowfeather would be _afraid_ to say another bad thing to you… I can make you the best warrior WindClan has ever seen. All you have to do is come with me and be willing to train in your dreams."

"Are you kidding?!" Breezepaw exclaimed, his eyes widening with excitement. "Of course I want to be the best warrior! If StarClan wants to train me, I won't refuse!" This all felt almost too good to be true—but the only thing that could go wrong was Breezepaw waking up to find it had all been his imagination. His claws scraped the grass. "I want to show Crowfeather that he's wrong about me!"

The molly grinned. "That's what I like to hear," she purred. "Come on, then." She brushed past him, padding towards the forest that was behind him. "Just follow me."

Breezepaw didn't pause for a heartbeat. He quickly bounded after her. The molly began to walk closer to the forest. It loomed overhead, the trees growing far taller than Breezepaw had first thought. They towered over him, casting dark shadows over the undergrowth.

The molly walked into the dry ferns with confidence. Breezepaw stopped just on the edge of the forest. He glanced back over his shoulder, looking across the field, towards the other forest. "What's over there?" he asked.

"Nothing good," the molly easily replied. "Just come with me, Breezepaw."

Breezepaw shrugged to himself and followed her. The light of the clearing faded as he walked farther in. The dry earth began to dampen, until he could hear the squelching of mud underpaw. The shadows of the trees darkened the surrounding area, making it difficult for even him to see.

Breezepaw narrowed his eyes as he tried to make out the molly's shape ahead of him. A few moments later, he began to realize it wasn't just shadows—it was steadily becoming dark all around him. The ferns and mud became lost to sight as complete darkness swallowed up everything—Breezepaw included.

"H-hey!" Breezepaw cried out. "Where'd you go? Come back! Help me!"

A heartbeat later, Breezepaw woke up gasping. His nest was torn to shreds. He looked down at his paws. His claws were unsheathed, scraps of moss and wool caught between them. It was still nighttime. He had awoken in the middle of the night.

Disappointment tugged at his belly. _It was just a dream,_ Breezepaw thought, frowning. _I really thought… I thought StarClan_ was _interested in me._ He sighed to himself and curled back up.

 _Hah._

Breezepaw stiffened. The short laugh that popped into his head was not his own inner voice—it was the voice of the molly from his dream. It sounded as though she whispering it into his ear, though no cat was beside him.

 _Don't worry, Breezepaw. I'm real._ Another chuckle followed the words. _Got a little scared, did you?_

Breezepaw lifted his head and looked around. "Where are you?" he whispered.

She didn't answer his question. _Get some sleep,_ she told him. _You'll need it. Training starts tomorrow. Nice to meet you, Breezepaw. I'm Sparrowfeather._

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **SedatedDreams:** I'm happy that people seem to like Nightcloud's character for the most part! She's not perfect by any means, but I've always liked her and wished we had gotten to see more of her side of things. There will definitely be some exploration of non-cat animals, especially in the next book! Ah, thanks for explaining about what you meant about Brambleclaw/flower - I understand what you mean now!

 **Meonae:** [Blows a chef's kiss]

 **DoomCabbit:** I hope this chapter made her a bit more likeable - it's not really that she hates Leafpool more than Crowfeather, but she has complicated feelings towards her and the idea of her kits finding out about their birth mother freaks her out and she doesn't really... know how to handle that yet.

 **Guest:** Hey! I doubt I'm getting my old blog back at this point, as staff hasn't responded to me :(. Right now, you can find me on batswoop instead! Thank you so much for the praise!

 **Appledawn:** Unfortunately, there _is_ going to be quite a bit of character death throughout the series. I don't really enjoy killing off so many characters that I've come to like (such as Poppypaw!), but in ThunderClan's case in particular, it's to keep them from getting outrageously big like they are in canon and gives me a better chance of developing the characters that _are_ going to stick around. I hope you'll keep reading, though!


	19. Chapter 18

Hollypaw awoke to find Nightcloud curled protectively around her. Her thick tail wrapped around Hollypaw's smaller frame, and Nightcloud's side rose and fell slowly as she continued to sleep.

Hollypaw sighed contentedly and pushed her nose into her mother's soft fur. She could have nearly forgotten that she was in ThunderClan, were it not for the dull throb of her shoulder and the strange scents surrounding her. Even so, she felt comfortable and safe with Nightcloud pressed to her side.

She remained that way for some time—it could have been a few heartbeats or a few hours. Eventually, though, Hollypaw heard a tail brushing against the side of the entrance to the medicine cat's den, and she lifted her head.

Leafpool was padding into the den, a bundle of herbs in her jaws. She blinked as she saw Hollypaw, and she stepped inside fully. The medicine cat set down the herbs and lifted her head once more. "I see you're awake," she meowed, voice soft and quiet. "Good morning. How are you feeling?"

Hollypaw sat up slowly, so as to not jostle Nightcloud awake. She rolled her shoulder experimentally. Pain was still present, but it had dulled since yesterday. "I'm okay," she replied. "My shoulder doesn't hurt as bad."

Leafpool sighed as though relieved. "That's great news," she purred. "Well, if you would like, you can have some fresh-kill. A hunting patrol just returned with fresh-kill, and there's plenty for you and Nightcloud to have some."

Hollypaw nodded gratefully. Her stomach rumbled in agreement. She couldn't even remember the last time she had eaten—had it been yesterday morning? _They probably won't have any rabbit… but I'd eat a day-old frog at this point!_ She lifted a paw to rouse Nightcloud.

Leafpool stopped her. "That's alright, Hollypaw," she quickly meowed. "You can let her rest. There's no hurry for you two to leave, and she's had a great deal of stress. No one will bother her here."

Hollypaw hesitated, but after a moment, she nodded. _She's probably right,_ she thought. _Nightcloud was fighting dogs, too. She'll probably want to take off the moment she wakes up, anyway!_ Instead, she carefully pulled herself away from her sleeping mother and padded towards Leafpool. She was relieved to find that she could limp successfully without excruciating pain.

Leafpool smiled kindly. "I can show you to the fresh-kill. I should probably eat something myself!"

"Thank you!" Hollypaw purred. _Leafpool's very nice,_ she thought. _It was lucky that ThunderClan found me!_

They padded outside, Leafpool in the lead. Hollypaw paused for a moment outside of the den to take in her surroundings. They were starkly different from her WindClan home—walls of stone rose around her on every side, save for a small path that likely led out of camp. There was hardly anything growing inside the camp, and the ground was hard and dusty. At the top of the stone walls rose tall trees that shaded parts of the camp.

 _What a weird place,_ Hollypaw thought. _How can any cat live without being able to feel the wind in their whiskers?_ She longed for the comforting scents of heather and lavender—but she reassured herself with the knowledge that she would be home soon enough.

"The fresh-kill pile is just this way," Leafpool called. She padded confidently across camp towards a large pile that was stacked in the shade of one of the stone walls. Some cats looked on, narrowing their eyes in suspicion as Hollypaw followed.

She tried to ignore the stares. _You're fine,_ she told herself. _They won't attack. ThunderClan cats just have thorns in their fur._

Leafpool sat beside the pile and glanced over it. "I'm afraid we don't have any rabbit," she meowed. "It's not often they leave the moor. But there's a squirrel here—I find they're rather similar in taste." She pulled a long rodent from the pile and dragged it a few paces away. Hollypaw followed her and sniffed curiously at the squirrel as Leafpool dropped it.

 _Smells weird,_ Hollypaw thought.

Leafpool purred in amusement. "Never seen a squirrel, huh?"

"I might've seen one or two," Hollypaw replied. "But I've never eaten one." She leaned down and took a bite. She chewed it cautiously. Admittedly, it _was_ almost like a rabbit in taste, though it was a bit tougher and more sinewy. "It's not bad," she politely mewed. "Thank you."

Leafpool shifted her paws awkwardly. "Do you mind if I share?" she asked, almost nervously.

Hollypaw blinked. It was unusual to share fresh-kill with a cat from outside your own Clan—but she supposed it was fine, given that Leafpool had tended to her wounds. "Of course," she replied, pushing the squirrel towards her.

As Leafpool leaned down to take a bite, Hollypaw saw Cinderpaw racing towards her from a den inside one of the rock walls. "Hollypaw!" the gray apprentice called. "You're out of the den!"

Hollypaw couldn't help but smile as Cinderpaw skidded to a halt beside her and Leafpool. "I was wondering how you were doing," Cinderpaw went on. "I'm glad to see you're okay! What do you think of squirrel? It's pretty great, isn't it?"

Leafpool shook her head. "Cinderpaw!" she chided. "Give Hollypaw some space, will you? She's only just woken up!"

The ThunderClan apprentice ducked her head apologetically, but her eyes gleamed humorously. "Aw, come on!" she meowed. "It's not often we have apprentices from other Clans visiting. Besides, aren't we all supposed to be trying to get along for that day Gathering soon?"

Other apprentices were emerging from the den Cinderpaw had just left. Hollypaw recognized Berrypaw from the last Gathering, but the others were strangers to her. Beside Berrypaw was a large golden-furred tom that Hollypaw had seen at the last Gathering.

 _What was his name?_ Hollypaw wondered. She remembered how ShadowClan had been enraged by his presence at the Gathering, though she wasn't entirely sure what had caused it. She turned back towards the fresh-kill and took another bite.

Cinderpaw sat down. "What's it like being a WindClan apprentice?" she asked. "Is it true that you don't have dens? Do you sleep outside even when it rains? What about when it snows?"

Hollypaw twitched her tail. She swallowed her mouthful before she replied, "No, we don't have dens. We just sleep outside unless it's raining or snowing, then we—" she stopped herself, about to tell Cinderpaw about the tunnels dug by the tunnelers. There was one near the camp used for bad weather, for those who couldn't fit into the elder's den and nursery—but that wasn't supposed to be something other Clans knew about. "Um, we have a few dens we sleep in. We just prefer not to."

"Huh. I can't imagine sleeping out in the open. I'd be so nervous!" Cinderpaw's whiskers twitched. "Don't you ever worry about getting attacked by foxes or hawks? Or—"

Leafpool glanced sidelong at Cinderpaw. She nodded towards the camp entrance. "I believe your mentor is looking for you," she meowed. Hollypaw followed her gaze. A fluffy white tom was standing near the entrance, tail flicking about impatiently.

Cinderpaw leaped up. "Oh, fox-dung!" she meowed. "I forgot about the border patrol! Bye, Leafpool!" She turned and darted away, and Hollypaw heard the tom groan loudly from afar.

Hollypaw chuckled. _Cinderpaw's funny,_ she thought. _I guess some ThunderClan cats really aren't so bad._

The other apprentices reached the fresh-kill pile. Two of the apprentices meowed a quick 'goodbye' to their companions before they also started off towards the camp exit. Berrypaw stayed behind with the golden tom and a golden-brown molly. They stared curiously at Hollypaw as they sniffed through the pile. Berrypaw hooked a mouse with his claw and flicked an ear. "Are you that WindClan apprentice they found yesterday?" he loudly asked. "I thought you were crowfood."

Hollypaw flicked her tail, feeling a twinge of annoyance. _Not_ every _ThunderClan is nice, though_ , she reminded herself. "I'm a WindClan apprentice," she replied.

"Be polite, Berrypaw," Leafpool meowed. "Hollypaw is our guest."

The other tom looked her over curiously. "How did you treat her wounds?" he asked. "She looked so mangled up yesterday."

The tabby medicine cat looked surprised by the question. She straightened up a bit. "Well, Hollypaw wasn't as bad as she looked," she explained. "It was just her shoulder and her flank—the blood made her look worse off." Leafpool glanced back at Hollypaw. Her eyes were dark with some emotion—worry? "It's lucky that our patrol found her when they did, though," she softly meowed. "The wounds were treatable, but only because I was able to stop her bleeding in enough time. She would have… well, she would have bled out if no one had seen her."

Hollypaw swallowed. The mouthful of squirrel in her jaws suddenly soured. _I could have died._ The thought chilled her. The shock of the attack and the strength of Leafpool's medicine had kept her from truly grasping the reality of the situation—and Hollypaw began to tremble as the severity of the attack began to dawn on her.

 _The dogs could have torn me to shreds._ Hollypaw's stomach swirled. _I could be dead._

Leafpool's eyes darkened with concern. The tip of her tail curled towards Hollypaw and came to rest on her paw. "Are you alright?"

Hollypaw shook herself. "I'm fine. I was just… thinking."

The tabby medicine cat leaned forward and briefly touched her nose to Hollypaw's ear. Her warm breath fell soothingly upon Hollypaw's cheek. "I understand," Leafpool murmured. "It can be scary to be faced with such danger… sometimes we don't realize just how dangerous something is until long after." She pulled away, her amber eyes warm with a strange affection. "You fought bravely for your Clan," she meowed. "You should be proud."

Hollypaw shifted her paws, unsure of whether to feel uncomfortable or pleased from Leafpool's words. "Thank you," she whispered. She bushed out her pelt a little, trying to shake the uncomfortable feeling.

"Hollypaw!" Nightcloud's call made Hollypaw flinch in surprise. The apprentice looked over her shoulder to see Nightcloud hurrying out of the medicine cat's den. Her thick tail kinked back and forth in worry. "There you are!"

Nightcloud rushed to Hollypaw's side and pressed against her. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm okay," Hollypaw replied. "My wounds don't hurt as much."

Leafpool's tail curled in towards herself. "Would you like some fresh-kill, Nightcloud?" she quietly asked. "There's plenty to go around."

Nightcloud lifted her gaze towards the medicine cat. She shook her head. "No. I'll be fine."

Leafpool nodded. "Okay. Well, whenever you'd like to leave, I can ask a patrol to escort you—"

"I'd like to leave now," Nightcloud quickly meowed. Though she was far less curt than she had been last night, her voice still had a hard edge to it, and it was clear she would not be swayed.

Hollypaw looked down at her half-eaten squirrel, before she pushed it towards Leafpool. "You can finish it," she offered.

Leafpool smiled gratefully. She glanced towards the two ThunderClan apprentices. "Lionpaw, Berrypaw, will you find your mentors? These cats will need an escort to the border."

Hollypaw shifted her paws uncomfortably. _Why do we have to have a huge escort?_ She wondered. _Can't we just go?_

Nightcloud said nothing, only giving a flick of her tail. She sat beside Hollypaw and curled her tail around her. "We'll be home soon," Nightcloud meowed firmly. Hollypaw wasn't sure who her mother was trying to reassure.

Lionpaw and Berrypaw shared a quick look of disappointment—clearly, they would have to wait for fresh-kill—before they nodded and bounded away. It wasn't long before they returned, two warriors in tow—Brambleflower, the former deputy, and Brightheart, a warrior that Hollypaw recognized easily from her scars.

Hollypaw swallowed as she took in Brightheart's scars. Every cat knew at least a little about Brightheart's scars—after all, few had survived such a battle with an entire pack of dogs—but Hollypaw had never seen her up close. One side of her face was completely scarred over, and fur had grown back patchy, still showing the skin beneath it. Her eye and ear on that side were both missing.

Hollypaw averted her gaze, trying not to be caught staring. It wasn't so much that she was horrified by Brightheart's wounds as much as it was yet another reminder of how lucky Hollypaw had been.

 _I only survived because of my ability,_ she thought. _But… I also only ended up in that fight because I thought I could talk to the dogs._ Hollypaw frowned. _I'll never do it again. It's too dangerous._

"Glad to see you're back on your paws," Brightheart meowed. She looked sympathetic. "I know how scary dogs can be."

Hollypaw nodded. Her throat felt dry—she wasn't sure what to say. Nightcloud bowed her head to the two warriors. "Thank you for leading us back to the border," she meowed. Her tone had become more relaxed.

"Of course," Brambleflower meowed. He turned to head for the camp exit, and as the others followed, he glanced at Nightcloud. "Besides, I'd love to catch up. How is Crowfeather?"

Nightcloud frowned. "I'd rather not talk about him," she muttered. "Things aren't… they're not good right now."

Hollypaw flattened her ears, feeling a rush of discomfort. _Why would she tell_ him _that?_ She wondered. She disliked it enough that her mother and father never got along. There was no need to air it out to any old cat that asked.

Brambleflower frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that," he replied. "Crowfeather can be… well, I won't get into it if you don't want to."

Hollypaw began to bristle. _And you shouldn't!_ She knew Brambleflower had journeyed with Crowfeather in the past, when the Clans had come to the lake territory, but that didn't give him the right to say anything bad about her father! She let out a quiet growl of annoyance.

Nightcloud looked back at her worriedly. "Hollypaw?" she meowed. She hurried to her daughter's side and pressed against her. "Come on, lean on me."

Hollypaw felt a wave of embarrassment. _She thinks I'm in pain!_ Still, she didn't argue—she _was_ still sore, and there was a sense of comfort that she felt pressed against her mother in this strange territory.

ThunderClan's forest was thick and dense. Hollypaw looked up often, trying to find the sky—but she could only see fragments of it through the thick canopy cover. It was unnerving, not being able to see any farther than the next bush or tall thicket of ferns. Not even a proper breeze brushed through her pelt as they walked. Instead, her fur kept snagging on brambles and thorns.

 _How can any cat live here?_ She crossly wondered. Hollypaw glanced towards Lionpaw and Berrypaw. They seemed to flow through and around the brambles with as much ease as RiverClan flowed through the water.

 _What weird cats,_ Hollypaw thought. There was nowhere better than the moorland. _How do they even catch prey?_

Neither of the other apprentices seemed interested in talking to her. They chatted with each other like a pair of starlings, about nothing that seemed particularly important. Brambleflower and Brightheart were quiet as they led the way, though they occasionally cast amused glances at their apprentices.

Hollypaw sighed and leaned into her mother. _I just want to be home,_ she thought. _The sooner I can feel the wind in my whiskers, the better._

* * *

 **We're finally back! Much apologies for the lengthy delay in updating - this chapter was a pain in the butt to write! I'm not sure why, but it was like pulling teeth to get through it. I'm excited for the next couple of chapters that are coming up, though - things are going to be wrapping up with the first book pretty soon!**

 **Reviews:**

 **Shadowwolf: In this AU, Brightheart and Cloudtail are also mates with Daisy. Cloudtail, rather than Spiderleg, is the father of her upcoming litter of kits.**

 **Mossbush: Thank you so much!**

 **deepmist: Don't worry, I'm willing to spoil that much - Jayfeather _isn't_ going to be a medicine cat here. I really hated the way his arc went in canon, and I think that giving disabled characters the ability to be warriors is important. He is still going to be pushed towards it, but it's going to play out differently than canon. As for Brambleflower's name, this is an AU, so sometimes I make changes to names because I like them better a certain way. If we kept everything the same always, there wouldn't be anything to write about for fanfiction!**

 **Thank you to everyone else who reviewed!**


	20. Chapter 19

**Almost to the end of book one! There's probably one big chapter coming, with either a shorter chapter following or the epilogue. Thank you to everyone who reviewed!**

* * *

"Begin!"

Lionpaw leaped for Berrypaw. The cream tom danced to the side and swiped at Lionpaw, but the blow missed. Lionpaw spun on his paws easily and lunged again.

Excitement pulsed through him as he and Berrypaw sparred. This was it—his warrior assessment. All he had to do was beat Berrypaw, and he would be a warrior.

Many more cats filled the training hollow. It was practically the whole Clan watching. Lionpaw didn't let it phase him—he was here to win!

His paw struck at Berrypaw's hind leg, and he flipped the older apprentice onto his back. Berrypaw growled and kicked out at Lionpaw, but he didn't feel the blow. Lionpaw tackled him, and as they rolled around, wrestling for dominance, Lionpaw sank his jaws into Berrypaw's shoulder.

Warm, thick blood coated his tongue.

Lionpaw let out a ferocious roar at the taste. Suddenly, his actions became feral and uncontrolled. He slashed out again and again. He felt Berrypaw's flesh slice between his claws as he struck over and over. Red haze clouded his vision—he was driven on by instinct and bloodlust alone.

His jaws closed around something warm and soft. Blood spurted into his jaws as his teeth sank into flesh. His opponent shook about violently for a few heartbeats until all went still.

Screams erupted from the onlooking cats.

The fog in Lionpaw's vision cleared. He stood victorious.

But at his paws lay the mangled corpse of Berrypaw.

The cream tom's pelt was now a dark, matted red. His eyes were clouded, but still wide with fear. Jaws parted in a final scream of desperation. Belly ripped open, entrails spread out before him.

 _No._

Lionpaw swayed on his paws.

"Monster!" Daisy shrieked. "You monster!"

"Murderer!"

"Lionpaw's evil!"

"A traitor!"

 _No!_ Lionpaw stumbled away, choking back tears. He couldn't have killed Berrypaw. His Clanmate. His _friend._

Mousepaw and Hazelpaw yowled in rage. Brambleflower's eyes were filled with disgust.

Ivypaw sat at Firestar's side. Her single eye stared at him with burning hatred. "I knew you would do it again," she hissed. " _Monster._ "

" _NO!_ "

Lionpaw awoke gasping for breath. He was being shaken back and forth.

"Lionpaw!" Honeypaw meowed. "Calm down, it's alright!" She and Berrypaw stood over him, eyes wide with concern. The other apprentices looked on from their nests.

"Are you alright?" Cinderpaw meowed. "Should I get Leafpool?"

"You were yowling in your sleep!" added Mousepaw.

"What's wrong?" Berrypaw asked.

Lionpaw sat up, still panting. His heart was pounding as he stared at Berrypaw. _It was just a dream,_ he told himself.

 _It was just a dream._

 _Just a dream._

He took a shaky breath. "I'm okay," he finally murmured. "I'm sorry."

Berrypaw narrowed his eyes in concern. "Are you sure?"

Lionpaw nodded. "I'm okay," he repeated. "It was just…" an image of Berrypaw's mutilated body flashed through his mind, and he swallowed back bile. "A nightmare."

"That's no fun," Berrypaw meowed, his voice sympathetic. He lay down beside Lionpaw's nest. "You should try to sleep again, though—it's the middle of the night! Come on, Honeypaw and I can sleep right by you."

Honeypaw purred and nodded. "You won't have any nightmares with us."

Lionpaw smiled gratefully at his friends. He lay down in his nest, and the two other apprentices pressed against either side of him. The other cats in the den began to settle back down into their nests.

After some time, Lionpaw could tell from their breathing that Honeypaw and Berrypaw had fallen asleep. Lionpaw, however, could not. His head was continuing to pound fearfully.

 _What's wrong with me?_ He wondered. _I don't_ want _to kill anyone! I don't want to hurt my Clanmates!_ Lionpaw's stomach churned as a wave of guilt washed over him. _But I have hurt cats. I hurt Ivypaw so badly… what if I lost control in training?_ Lionpaw clenched his eyes shut. The idea of hurting, or, StarClan forbid, actually _killing_ one of his Clanmates, made his heart clench. _What if I freaked out in another border skirmish… but instead of an enemy, I attacked a friend?_

 _What if I attacked my family?_

Many images flashed through his imagination—tearing apart Brambleflower, beating down Squirrelflight, slashing at Firestar.

 _Stop it!_ Lionpaw pulled his paws over his muzzle as anxiety gripped at his chest.

Tears burned in his eyes. _Maybe I_ am _a monster._ Lionpaw gritted his teeth. _How am I supposed to be a warrior if I'm always going to be afraid of hurting someone?_

 _Can I even_ be _a warrior?_

* * *

Morning eventually came. Lionpaw had laid awake nearly all night, his mind racing with worries and doubts. He forced himself out of his nest along with the other apprentices, but exhaustion and anxiety was weighing heavily upon him.

Lionpaw knew he should dismiss his nightmare as just a dream—but he couldn't. The hazy images kept replaying themselves in his mind, but now he would substitute Berrypaw with any cat he saw. Ferncloud greeted him at the fresh-kill pile, and he imagined the kind queen ripped to pieces by his own paws. He felt like vomiting when he saw Foxkit and Icekit play-fighting outside the nursery and pictured himself hurting them instead.

When Cinderpaw returned from feeding the elders, she pulled a finch off the fresh-kill pile and gave Lionpaw a friendly blink. "Want to share?" she offered.

Lionpaw looked at her and swallowed. A picture of the battered form of Cinderpaw flashed through his mind, and he felt bile rising again. "That's okay," he meowed. "I'm not that hungry."

"Alright," Cinderpaw shrugged. "Suit yourself." The gray molly picked up her bird and took it a few fox-lengths away to eat it.

Lionpaw lifted his gaze to the Highledge. Firestar was sitting atop it, Brackenfur at his side. The pair were conversing quietly. Lionpaw imagined attacking either of them. He clenched his eyes shut and tried to push the terrible thoughts away. _What's wrong with me? I hate this!_ Fear gripped at his belly like sharp claws. _What if I really do hurt someone? What if that nightmare was a warning?_

"Lionpaw!"

Brightheart's call made him open his eyes and look up. His mentor was standing by the camp exit, tail lifted expectantly. "Come on, Lionpaw. We're going to do some hunting."

Lionpaw nodded bleakly. _At least I don't have to worry that I'm going to kill anyone over hunting._

* * *

Lionpaw stumbled through his day in a tired, nervous haze. He missed every catch that he tried to make. He wasn't sure if he had spent hours or minutes trying to hunt when Brightheart finally interrupted their training.

"Lionpaw, what's going on?"

Lionpaw lifted his gaze to face his mentor. His eyelids were heavy, and his stomach hadn't stopped churning since he had woken up. _How do I tell her I'm afraid that I'm a killer?_ He looked down at his paws. "I didn't sleep well," he murmured. "Sorry."

Brightheart sighed and sat down. Her single eye was dark with worry. "It's more than that, isn't it?" she asked. "You look… upset. I haven't seen you like this since… well, since the time you were out of training. You look _haunted,_ Lionpaw."

Lionpaw's shoulders slumped as he sat. "I just…" his throat felt tight. He wanted to deny it, but he was tired of keeping it all buried down. _It's just so hard._ "I don't know if I can do this."

Brightheart blinked. "Do what?"

"Be a warrior," Lionpaw blurted. Another wave of anxiety crashed through him, but a small part of him felt relieved. It felt _good_ to say it. Before Brightheart could reply, the rest of his words came tumbling out. "It's just—I just… I've felt so _awful_ since the ShadowClan attack, Brightheart… I'm so afraid of hurting someone again, and I don't want the next cat I hurt to be a Clanmate, or my parents or my friends or the queens or…" his voice trailed off and Lionpaw shut his eyes. "I just don't think I can do it anymore."

Brightheart was quiet for a moment. Finally, she sighed softly. Lionpaw tensed as he readied himself for the scolding she would give him.

"I'm _so_ sorry you've been feeling this way, Lionpaw."

 _What?_ Lionpaw looked up at her again. He felt his throat and his shoulders relax. _She's not upset?_

Brightheart's gaze was sad and sympathetic. "I should have talked to you sooner," she meowed. "I just didn't want to upset you by bringing up the Ivypaw thing again… but I see now that was a mistake." She looked away, clearly thinking. A moment later, she glanced back at him. "What do _you_ want to do, Lionpaw?"

Lionpaw felt tears rising once more, and he blinked them back. "I don't know," he admitted. "I just… I thought being a warrior was going to be the best thing in the world, but now… I'm so _scared._ It's not that I don't think I can fight or hunt well, but…"

"You don't want to hurt anyone," Brightheart finished. Her tail twitched. "I can't say that I understand why you snapped like you did, but… I get the feeling you don't know either. And that's scary."

 _It is,_ Lionpaw thought. He felt the tenseness in his chest beginning to loosen. _She might not completely get it… but she's trying._ He nodded. "But I want to be useful for ThunderClan," he meowed. "I want to do something good. I don't want to be afraid that I'm going to hurt someone… or actually _do_ hurt somebody again."

Brightheart seemed to hesitate. She looked away again. "You know," she meowed. "Being a warrior isn't the only thing a cat can do."

Lionpaw frowned. _What does she mean?_

Brightheart looked uncertain. "You… well, you _could_ be a medicine cat."

Lionpaw blinked. Two moons ago, at the start of his apprenticeship, he would have laughed at the idea. Lionpaw, a medicine cat? He was meant to be a warrior! But now… he twitched his whiskers thoughtfully. He had felt so calm and curious when he had helped Leafpool with collecting herbs. She had helped him to recover from his incident with Ivypaw.

When ThunderClan was sick, Leafpool had managed to save most of them. A sharp stab of sadness went through him. _Except for Poppypaw…_ Lionpaw frowned. _I thought there was nothing I could do when Greencough was going around. But what if I_ could _do something?_

When the WindClan apprentice, Hollypaw, had arrived in a tattered mess, Leafpool had managed to save her. Lionpaw's eyes widened at the thought. _She was so hurt,_ he thought. _If I stay a warrior apprentice, I might hurt more cats just like that… but if I was a medicine cat, I could_ help _them instead._

He felt a sense of peace pass through him as he considered it. Lionpaw loved the thrill of battle practice and hunting—but his inability to control himself had tainted that. Being a medicine cat would guarantee that he wouldn't hurt anyone ever again. _And I would still be helping my Clan,_ he thought. _I could heal cats instead of hurting them._

Without thinking, he blurted out, "I'll do it."

Brightheart straightened up. "Really?"

Lionpaw was surprised by himself. He hardly needed any convincing. He leaned back on his haunches as he thought about it more. "I wouldn't have to be afraid anymore," he meowed. Lionpaw looked down, feeling suddenly ashamed. _I was so angry at Brambleflower for stepping down as deputy,_ he thought. _But now I'm thinking about doing the same thing._

Quietly, Lionpaw asked, "Am I coward?" He flattened his ears sheepishly.

"Great StarClan, no," Brightheart replied. She touched her tail to his shoulder. "It takes courage to make a decision like this, Lionpaw. If you think being a medicine cat will help you… no cat would fault you for that."

Lionpaw sighed and leaned into his mentor. His head came to rest against her chest. "I really wanted to be a warrior," he mumbled. "But now it feels wrong."

Brightheart drew a paw across his back. "My sister was a medicine cat, you know," she meowed. "Cinderpelt. She trained as a warrior first, just like you, but she had a terrible accident and damaged one of her legs. It's not the same as what you're going through… but she became a medicine cat after wanting to be a warrior." Brightheart purred fondly. "She was so good at it, too. You could be a great medicine cat, Lionpaw. You're smart and you work hard."

Lionpaw sniffed and looked up at her. "You wouldn't be disappointed in me?"

Brightheart shook her head. "Of course not. You need to do whatever is best for you, Lionpaw, and if that means being a medicine cat… I'll be happy for you."

Lionpaw smiled and shifted closer to her. "Thank you, Brightheart."

His mentor purred softly. "Why don't we go back to camp? You can talk to Leafpool today. See what she thinks of it."

Lionpaw nodded. _I should do it,_ he thought. The sense of calm that had come over him since Brightheart suggested it was all the proof he needed that this was what he should do. _I haven't felt right since that fight with ShadowClan. If I could help cats by being a medicine cat… maybe it's what I'm meant to do._ "Let's go."

* * *

Lionpaw stood outside of Leafpool's den, his tail twitching nervously. Brightheart nudged him gently. "Do you want me to go with you?" she asked.

"No," Lionpaw replied. He set his jaw. "I can do this."

"Okay," Brightheart meowed. She sat down and gave him an encouraging nod. "You can do it, Lionpaw."

Lionpaw gave his mentor a grateful nod. _Training with her was so hard at first,_ he thought. _But she does care about me. I'm sorry I couldn't be a better apprentice for you, Brightheart._ He stepped forward and into the Medicine Cat Den.

Leafpool was sitting alone, slouching over a pile of herbs. She was slowly sorting them out into smaller groups, but she stopped as he entered. Lionpaw's aunt smiled as she noticed him padding in. "Oh, hello, Lionpaw," she purred. "Can I do something for you?"

"Actually…" Lionpaw looked away. _Why am I so nervous?_ He padded closer. "I wanted… I need to ask you something."

Leafpool blinked. A strange, almost wary look came to her. "What's wrong?"

Lionpaw frowned. _What does she_ think _I'm going to ask?_ He brushed it off. _Just spit it out!_ Lionpaw took a breath. "I want to become your apprentice."

Leafpool looked surprised. The tabby molly sat up straight, ears pricked. "I—well—that's… I'm surprised, Lionpaw! I thought you were set on becoming a warrior. Are you _sure_?"

Lionpaw's belly flipped nervously. _Is she going to reject me?_ _I already made up my mind!_ "I thought I was, too," he hurriedly replied. "But—it's—I… I just can't anymore. Ever since I attacked Ivypaw in the battle… something's been off, you know?" He swallowed. The lump in his throat had returned. "It's not just that. I had a… a dream last night."

Interest flashed in Leafpool's eyes. "What sort of dream?"

Lionpaw felt ill as he recalled the violent images. "I hurt… someone. Really bad. I didn't mean to, but we were fighting, and I just… snapped. Like I did with Ivypaw. I don't _want_ to hurt anyone, Leafpool, and…" He flattened his ears. "I'm tired of being afraid that I will! I just want to help cats like you do."

Leafpool looked thoughtful. She curled her tail around her paws. After a few heartbeats of silence, she smiled slowly. "You know," she said. "It does get lonely in here, working alone. It's been a long time since Cinderpelt passed… ThunderClan could use a second set of paws working as a healer."

Lionpaw lifted his head. _She's actually considering it?_

Leafpool frowned once more. "But, Lionpaw… you need to be _sure._ Becoming a medicine cat is hard work—you'll have to start from scratch in the terms of training. Sometimes training takes even longer than it does to be a warrior." Her voice softened. "You can never have a mate… or kits."

Lionpaw didn't care about any of that. _I can start over in training,_ he thought. _Who cares if it takes longer? Or if I move nests? I'll still have my friends._ "Those things aren't problems for me," he replied. "I made up my mind." Lionpaw _knew_ he was right—perhaps he hadn't realized until today, but he had been interested in Leafpool's work for some time now, and he simply couldn't bring himself to fight anymore. _It's not just the dream,_ he thought. _But it made me remember… how bad it could get._

Leafpool closed her eyes. She was quiet for far longer this time, and Lionpaw's anxiety began to grow.

"Okay," Leafpool meowed. "I'm not saying no. But I want you to think about it a little longer. The daylight Gathering is tomorrow—after that, if you don't want to be a warrior anymore, I will accept you as my apprentice, and you can begin your training."

Lionpaw's eyes widened with relief. "I won't change my mind," he assured her. "Thank you, Leafpool!" He purred and leaned forward to lick his aunt's ear gratefully.

Leafpool chuckled quietly. "Don't thank me until you're really my apprentice," she meowed. "For now, though, I have work to do!"

Lionpaw nodded and stepped back. "I'll see you later." He turned away and hurried out of the den.

Brightheart was still sitting outside, waiting for him. She lifted her gaze expectantly. "Well?"

Lionpaw's tail flicked. "She said yes!" he purred. "Well, she _said_ to think about it and tell her if I want to after the Gathering tomorrow. But she said I could!"

Brightheart grinned. "That's wonderful!" she replied. She leaned forward and touched her nose to his forehead. "I'm proud of you, Lionpaw. I'm sorry that I couldn't see you become a warrior… but I know you'll be a fantastic medicine cat." She pulled back and looked him in the eye. "And you can still come to me for anything, if you need it. You might not be my apprentice in a couple of days, but you'll still be my Clanmate."

Lionpaw felt warm relief roll over him again. He nodded eagerly and butted his head against Brightheart's shoulder. It was strange, but somehow, it felt like the revelation about his position had brought them closer together, rather than tearing them apart. _After tomorrow, I'll be a medicine cat apprentice_ — _and Brightheart isn't upset with me._ For the first time in a while, he felt truly hopeful. _Everything is going to be okay._


	21. Chapter 20

**This was originally going to be the last chapter, but it ended up getting longer than I expected. So there's one more to go before the first book is over! I'm really excited to continue on with this series - there's a lot more in store for the three!**

* * *

Breezepaw tasted the air as he padded across the fallen tree that led onto the Gathering Island. He only caught the scent of RiverClan. _I guess the other Clans are running behind,_ he thought. He followed Heatherpaw as she leaped off the log and onto the soft sand. There was a dull thump behind him as Jaypaw hopped off as well.

Heatherpaw's eyes were bright with excitement. "Isn't this great?" she purred. "All the Clans meeting in daylight like this to have fun—it must be a good sign for us all, right?"

Breezepaw nodded, though he wasn't so convinced himself. _Who even knows if ShadowClan is going to show up,_ he thought. _Besides… we're all going to go right back to fighting with each other right after this is over._

Jaypaw quickly voiced exactly what he had been thinking. "I doubt it," he grumbled. He brushed past his brother and began to lead the way into the heart of the island. "Give it another quarter moon before ThunderClan tries to have another border argument with us."

Heatherpaw rolled her eyes. "StarClan's sake, are you always so pessimistic?" She flicked Jaypaw with her tail. "Lighten up!"

Jaypaw wrinkled his nose, looking annoyed. Breezepaw pushed his way between them as they walked. _He's right, but I don't want to argue with Heatherpaw!_

RiverClan cats were spread out on the island, talking among themselves. They had already set up a small fresh-kill pile for sharing, though a few of the older warriors looked annoyed as they watched the younger cats stack fresh fish. Breezepaw twitched his whiskers. _Old timers don't want to be sharing with us, huh?_

WindClan had brought prey as well. Each warrior carried a small rabbit or fowl in their jaws to place in a pile. Ashfoot's voice called out over the Clan. "Let's put everything near the RiverClan pile. This way, please!"

The warriors broke off from the group and began to follow her to set up their pile. Breezepaw watched them go before he turned back to Heatherpaw and Jaypaw. "What should we do until everyone gets here?"

Heatherpaw looked past him and nodded towards the fallen tree. "ThunderClan just got here."

Breezepaw glanced over his shoulder. Firestar was leading the ThunderClan group, trailed closely by his deputy, Brackenfur. Behind him was the rest of the Clan. Like WindClan, most cats were carrying something to share.

 _At least ThunderClan brought fresh-kill too,_ Breezepaw thought. He fluffed out his pelt a little as he sat down. _Though I bet they'll all be boasting and saying they brought the most!_

Jaypaw's ears turned towards the arriving party, but he remained otherwise still. "I wonder if they brought Lionpaw," he meowed. "After the drama he caused last time."

Breezepaw narrowed his eyes as he tried to scan ThunderClan for any sign of him. One by one, ThunderClan cats jumped down onto the island. _There he is._ Near the back of the group, with the other apprentices, stood Lionpaw. He was right behind an older ThunderClan apprentice, Berrypaw. _Bold move, bringing him here._

"Oh, there he is!" Heatherpaw purred. Breezepaw glanced sharply at her. _Why is she so excited to see him?_ "We should invite him over. I felt pretty bad for him at the last Gathering."

"You felt _bad_ for him?" Jaypaw scoffed. "Didn't you hear about Ivypaw? I couldn't see her scars, but she was _terrified_ of him. He half-blinded her."

Heatherpaw brushed it off. "Accidents happen all the time in battle. ShadowClan shouldn't have tried to steal territory if they didn't want some battle scars."

Breezepaw's eyes narrowed even farther. _Why is she defending him so much?_ He hadn't been at the last Gathering, but he had heard plenty about how ShadowClan had called for Lionpaw to be thrown out. He tasted bitter jealousy as Heatherpaw called out a loud greeting to the ThunderClan apprentice.

Someone else had heard Heatherpaw's call—Hollypaw. The black molly turned around and hurried over towards them. Breezepaw frowned.

"There you are!" Hollypaw meowed. "I lost sight of you when we were crossing onto the island. Kestrelpaw got all caught up talking to Willowpaw, and I wasn't sure where you went."

Breezepaw felt a prick of annoyance. "Well, you're here now, aren't you?" His voice was dry, and Jaypaw snorted quietly. _Hollypaw never spent any time around us before the dog attack, and now she's like a tick!_ Ever since she had returned from ThunderClan, Hollypaw had been clinging to him and Jaypaw relentlessly. Any time they were in camp together, she would sit beside them and gabber about StarClan-knows-what, and when they were out of camp, she would ask Onestar to go with them.

Breezepaw tuned out Hollypaw as she started to say something about how great it was that all the Clans were going to be meeting together. _You ignored us for Crowfeather and Onestar for moons. One dog bite, and_ now _we're kin? As if._

Hollypaw seemed to realize he wasn't paying attention, and her voice trailed off uncomfortably. The black molly looked embarrassed for a few moments. "I—I think I see someone I met in ThunderClan," she hurriedly meowed, before she turned around and padded away. Her tail hung low.

Breezepaw rolled his eyes. _And now you act hurt? StarClan help me._

A few moments later, Lionpaw padded up to them. "I heard you call my name," he meowed, as he and Berrypaw approached. "Hey, Heatherpaw."

"Lionpaw!" Heatherpaw purred. "How are you?"

Jaypaw curled his lip. "Why did you come over here?" he growled. "We all know what you did."

Lionpaw blinked and took a step back. "Sorry?"

"You should be," Jaypaw hissed. "You traumatized Ivypaw."

The ThunderClan apprentice flinched. Breezepaw glanced curiously at his brother. He had never seen this 'Ivypaw' cat—but if Jaypaw was already this accusatory, whatever Lionpaw had done must have been bad. Breezepaw felt a little relieved. _Heatherpaw wouldn't want to be around someone like that… right?_

Heatherpaw gave Jaypaw a glare. "Lay off!" she shot back. "ShadowClan should get a taste of their own medicine once in a while. Don't you remember all the stories of what they've done to WindClan?"

Berrypaw nodded at Heatherpaw, his eyes darkening. "Now here's a cat I could get along with," he meowed.

Jaypaw curled his lip. "ShadowClan hasn't touched WindClan since we came to the lake, rabbit-brain. _ThunderClan,_ on the other paw…"

Breezepaw bristled at the insult. "Hey!" he snapped. "Heatherpaw's not a rabbit-brain." Jaypaw glared sharply at him, but he looked more surprised than angry.

Heatherpaw groaned loudly. "Whatever. Lighten up, Jaypaw." She stood up and jerked her chin away. "Come on, Lionpaw. Jaypaw and Breezepaw can come over when they decide to stop being such sticks in the mud."

Breezepaw's ears flattened. _But I was defending you!_ He parted his jaws to argue, but it was too late. Heatherpaw whisked past him, and a moment later, Lionpaw and Berrypaw followed. He curled his lip in frustration. _Why can't I do anything right?_

* * *

Jaypaw turned his head towards Breezepaw as Heatherpaw, Lionpaw, and Berrypaw walked off. He could sense his brother's frustration and jealousy coming off him in strong waves. He sighed softly and leaned back. "Sorry, Breezepaw."

Breezepaw's tail curled around his lean frame. "It's fine," he grumbled. His feelings were clearly a jumbled mess—his adoration of Heatherpaw was matched with a jealousy at the sight of her and Lionpaw together.

 _Does he even realize how obsessed with her he is?_ Jaypaw wondered. _Maybe I should say something._ He nudged Breezepaw. "You have feelings for Heatherpaw." It wasn't a question. He already knew the answer.

Breezepaw's pelt bristled. "No!" he blurted, panic in his voice. The tom jumped up. "What are you talking about?"

Jaypaw rolled his eyes. "Of course you do," he meowed. "Come on, Breezepaw, just admit it."

The gray tom could sense waves of embarrassment rolling off his brother. Breezepaw scuffed his paws. "I guess you're right," he mumbled, before he let out a loud sigh. "Sometimes it feels like I'm always saying the wrong thing around her."

Jaypaw shrugged. "She'll get over it," he meowed. He focused his senses, trying to get an idea of where she had gone. Heatherpaw had only gone a few fox-lengths away, and was sitting between Lionpaw and Berrypaw. He could sense a feeling of warm affection and admiration from the molly, clearly directed at Lionpaw. He flattened his ears. _How could any cat like him?_

"I think she likes Lionpaw," Breezepaw growled. "But he's from ThunderClan!"

"I don't think she does," Jaypaw lied. _It would just upset him if I told him she did._ "She just thinks he's interesting."

"Whatever," Breezepaw muttered. His mood had clearly soured quickly. "When is ShadowClan going to get here so this meeting can start?"

Jaypaw angled his ears towards the fallen tree, but he couldn't hear any pawsteps over the conversations between the three Clans. "I don't know," he meowed. "What if they don't come?" He felt a prick of curiosity. _How would the other leaders take that? Probably not well. But that would be pretty hare-brained for ShadowClan to just refuse to show up to a truce meeting…_

A yowl sounded from the Leaders' Tree. All began to quiet down and turn their attention towards the massive tree.

Jaypaw frowned. _They're starting without ShadowClan. Do they think they won't be coming, then?_

"Welcome, everyone," Leopardstar meowed. "To the first daylight Gathering."

Onestar sounded uncomfortable. "Where is ShadowClan?" he asked. "Surely we cannot start without them."

A ThunderClan warrior scoffed loudly. "If Blackstar doesn't want to be here, that's his loss!"

Firestar flicked his tail. "Blackstar didn't openly agree to the meeting," he said. "There's no way of knowing whether or not he means to come. We can start now and stay out of ShadowClan territory, if that's how he would rather it be."

Jaypaw heard cats shifting to see something. Blackstar's voice called out from the fallen tree. "I'm here, for StarClan's sake." The ShadowClan leader's paws hit the sand loudly as he jumped down from the log and made his way towards the Leaders' Tree. Silently, ShadowClan warriors weaved their way through the crowd and began to find places to sit.

A familiar scent hit Jaypaw's nose. _Ivypaw?_ He turned his head towards her. "Is that you, Ivypaw?"

The ShadowClan apprentice moved to sit beside him. "Hey," she whispered.

Breezepaw stiffened. "Great StarClan," he breathed. He was clearly shocked by Ivypaw's appearance. "I see what you mean, Jaypaw."

Ivypaw either didn't hear his comment or refused to acknowledge it. Jaypaw turned his attention back towards the tree.

"Greetings, Blackstar," Leopardstar meowed. "We weren't sure you would come."

"Well, I came, didn't I?" he growled. "You seem eager to start without me."

"Like Leopardstar said," Onestar replied. "We didn't think you were coming. But since you are, welcome. May we begin?"

"Haven't you already?" Blackstar shot back. It was clear that he was already irritated. Jaypaw shook his head. _What an arrogant furball._

Firestar began to speak, raising his voice for all to hear. "Leopardstar, Onestar, and I were discussing some contests for our apprentices and young warriors. Here at the island, we'll have some sparring matches. And in ThunderClan, Brackenfur will be overseeing tree climbing races."

" _Real_ races will be happening in WindClan territory," Onestar meowed, though his tone sounded almost teasing rather than scathing. "Ashfoot will lead any interested cats."

"Mistyfoot will be leading a fishing contest," Leopardstar added. "We can do that from here as well, or in one of RiverClan's streams."

"We all know who will win _that_ ," Ivypaw muttered.

Leopardstar went on, seeming to address Blackstar. "If you would like to have something in ShadowClan as well—"

Blackstar cut her off. "I suppose we can." He paused for a moment. "ShadowClan will host a team game about stalking and battling. Russetfur will tell you more."

 _A game?_ Jaypaw was surprised. _He doesn't seem like the sort to like games._

Ivypaw must have noticed his surprised look. "What?" she asked. "ShadowClan likes to have fun. You should come to the game. We do it all the time in training. One group has to try and make it from one end of the territory to the other, and the other one—"

"Hush!" hissed a RiverClan elder.

Ivypaw lowered her voice. "Has to stop them."

Jaypaw twitched his whiskers. "Maybe," he whispered back. Part of him wished there was something related to tunneling—but he knew that WindClan preferred to keep their tunneling private. _For some reason._

"Thank you, Blackstar," Firestar meowed. "With your permission, we were hoping to have a hunting contest across the territories."

Blackstar hesitated a moment before he sighed. "Fine. But any prey caught should be given to the Clan who's territory it was caught in."

"That seems fair," Leopardstar agreed.

"I agree," replied Firestar. He lifted his voice to address all Clans. "There is prey for all to share and bet on your choice apprentices or warriors. I hope you all enjoy the Gathering!"

A few cats let out cheerful yowls. Leopardstar stood up. "Leaders will remain here," she called. "Please speak to our deputies if you are interested in one of their contests." With that, she leaped down from the tree, and it seemed the formalities were over.

Breezepaw glanced at Jaypaw. "Do you want to come race with me?" he asked. "It's been so long since we have!"

Jaypaw felt a stab of guilt. _I'd rather do something else,_ he thought. The idea of tree climbing made his stomach surge, but Ivypaw's game _did_ sound interesting. "I think I'm going to go do the ShadowClan contest," he meowed, his voice apologetic. "You should ask Heatherpaw to race with you."

Breezepaw's sharp disappointment stung at Jaypaw as the other tom took a step back. "Oh," he meowed. "Okay."

 _Don't be mad!_ Jaypaw thought. Before he could say anything else, Breezepaw had turned away and was leaving. Jaypaw lashed his tail in annoyance. _Oh, whatever. He'll get over it._ Sometimes there was no use trying to fix his brother's bad moods—better to wait it out and apologize later if he was still upset.

Jaypaw turned towards Ivypaw. "So, any idea where this game is happening?"

Ivypaw seemed pleasantly surprised that Jaypaw had decided to come with her. "Russetfur's this way," she meowed. "Come on."

 _She didn't seem to have any friends last Gathering,_ Jaypaw thought. _She's probably glad to have some company._ He could tell her feelings weren't the same sort that Heatherpaw had radiating off her around Lionpaw—if they were, perhaps he would have gone with Breezepaw after all.

Ivypaw led the way through the gathered cats towards Russetfur. _Who knows,_ he thought. _Maybe it_ will _be fun._

* * *

Going to the ShadowClan game was a mistake.

Jaypaw had no clue where he was going. He stayed by Ivypaw's side as they walked to ShadowClan territory, but the scents, sounds, and the feeling of the earth underpaw was all different. His mental map of his territory was useless here. He tried to pay attention to every path another cat followed, and to every time his whiskers brushed an obstacle, but no one was pointing out landmarks to him now. He was trying so hard to avoid tripping—the only thing that could make this worse was taunting from enemy apprentices on enemy territory.

Besides Ivypaw, there were three other ShadowClan apprentices, Owlpaw, Crowpaw, and Redpaw. The toms walked on ahead, shouldering each other and trying to out-boast one another. None of them spoke to Ivypaw, who made no attempt to talk to them, either. A few paces behind them were Minnowpaw of RiverClan and Mousepaw of ThunderClan, who were chatting away like a pair of old friends. Jaypaw could sense feelings of warmth and affection coming from them, and he curled his lip in disgust.

 _Typical ThunderClan,_ he thought. _Always going on about the Warrior Code and then turning around and breaking it whenever they can!_ Jaypaw felt even more annoyed as he realized how much he was starting to sound like Hollypaw. _At least no one has said anything about my sight._

Russetfur and a cat named Kinkfur were leading the group, and Harespring was up ahead with her, trying to get conversation out of them. The mollies were dead silent—Jaypaw could tell from his senses that they wanted nothing to do with the young WindClan warrior.

Finally, after they had been walking for ages, a strong stench hit Jaypaw's nose, and he nearly recoiled. _That's the ShadowClan border?_ he thought, trying to contain his repulsion.

"You don't smell too good, either," Ivypaw dryly commented.

 _Whoops._ "Sorry," Jaypaw muttered.

Ivypaw shrugged. She didn't seem angry, so Jaypaw flattened his fur and tried to hold his breath as they crossed the border.

Russetfur stopped them just a few paces over. "This is the ShadowClan border," she meowed. "From here, you will be split into two teams. One is invaders—your task is to make it to our northern border, short of the twoleg den. Do _not_ cross the border, just stop at it. There is a pair of aggressive kittypets that live in that den."

All of the non-ShadowClan cats snickered at that. Jaypaw snorted softly. _Aggressive?_ He went silent as he sensed waves of sadness coming from Russetfur and Kinkfur, and fear coming from the ShadowClan apprentices.

Kinkfur let out a hiss. "This is no laughing matter!" she snapped. "They killed Rowanclaw's first apprentice when we first came to the territories, and they've been threatening any cat at the border since. Listen to Russetfur!"

A memory flashed through Jaypaw's mind—Kinkfur, still small, young, and weak, batting at a massive tabby's face. Her vision turned in time to see another large cat, a collar strapped to her neck, tearing her claws down the belly of an older apprentice. Kinkfur screamed as blood spurred from the apprentice's belly. "Talonpaw!" she wailed.

Kinkfur shook her head, and the memory faded.

Jaypaw frowned. That wasn't the first time he had a memory like that enter his head—but it wasn't often it happened. _The time we were walking in the tunnel and Antpaw remembered the flood… and now._ Curiously tugged at him. He was able to cast out his senses to tell what other cats were _feeling_ , but with more effort, could he search their thoughts and memories, too?

A voice spoke in his mind. _That is dangerous thinking, Jaypaw!_ _A cat's thoughts are meant for them alone._

Jaypaw bristled. He knew that voice—Spottedleaf! _Shut up!_ he thought. _I don't need your stupid wisdom!_ _You're listening to my thoughts right now, hypocrite!_ Thankfully, she seemed to have no more to say to him.

Russetfur had continued on. "The second group will be a ShadowClan patrol trying to drive off intruders. Drive the patrol back to this border, or catch and pin them, and you win. Any questions?"

Owlpaw must have opened his jaws to speak, because Russetfur immediately turned towards him and said, " _No,_ Owlpaw, you may _not_ use claws. Consider this a training exercise same as any."

Russetfur waited a moment longer before she st down. "Very well. Each group will have a patrol leader, who may pick their teammates. You should all work together to strategize, but the leader will be a ShadowClan apprentice for the sake of knowledge of the territory. I will be supervising, not participating." She thought for a moment before she meowed, "Ivypaw will lead the invading patrol, and Owlpaw will lead the defending one. Owlpaw may choose first."

"Kinkfur!" Owlpaw immediately meowed.

Jaypaw rolled his eyes. _Of course he'd take the only ShadowClan warrior._

"I'll take Jaypaw," Ivypaw said.

"Crowpaw!" Owlpaw meowed. The other ShadowClan tom moved to stand by him.

"Harespring," Ivypaw decided.

Jaypaw frowned thoughtfully. _She's not picking any ShadowClan cats. What's her plan?_

"Redpaw!" Jaypaw sensed smugness as Redpaw joined Owlpaw. _He's getting all of the cats that know the territory._

"Minnowpaw," Ivypaw meowed.

As Jaypaw listened to Minnowpaw's light pawsteps, realization dawned on him. _She's picking cats that are going to be faster! ShadowClan cats aren't built for speed like WindClan is, and ThunderClan have heavier builds for tree climbing. RiverClan are usually pretty stocky, but they're a bit more graceful._

"Then I get Mousepaw," Owlpaw finished.

"But the groups aren't even," Harespring meowed. "Shouldn't we get another cat? They have all ShadowClan cats—we should get Mousepaw, too!"

"Are the odds always even in battle?" Russetfur countered. "Your group are trespassers in enemy land. In a real situation, you would probably have less cats than your enemy."

Jaypaw twitched his whiskers thoughtfully. _But it's better that Mousepaw and Minnowpaw are separated—they'd be too distracted by each other!_

"We don't need anyone else," Ivypaw meowed. "We're just fine."

"Very good," Russetfur replied. "I'll lead Owlpaw's group towards their starting spot. You may discuss your plan, and when you hear my yowl, begin. You need to get at least two cats to the border to win." With that, she turned and began to head deeper into the territory.

Ivypaw waited until Owlpaw's group had disappeared. She then sat down and turned to her group. "Let's start."

"Start?" Minnowpaw meowed. "But she just said—"

"ShadowClan is about being crafty and cunning," Ivypaw said. "Russetfur wouldn't expect us to actually wait around—and if I know Owlpaw, he's going to try and outsmart us. So the sooner we get going, the better."

"How are we supposed to win?" Harespring asked. "They're all ShadowClan cats, and you're the only one that knows the territory. If we split up, we'll get lost!"

"That's why we aren't going to split up," Ivypaw replied. She had clearly already been thinking this through—she must have played a similar game many times. "I've done this before, remember? The invading group _always_ splits up, and that's how they get caught. The defensive group always has more cats, and they split up from the start and fan out so they can catch each cat. Owlpaw is going to be _planning_ on us splitting up. So we're going to stay together and make a charge for the border. When we get found, they won't have the strength to take us all down, and it'll take time for them to get everyone together. By that point, we'll have won."

Jaypaw admired her thinking. _I would've wanted to split up,_ he thought. _But if that's how they always lose, we should do something so obvious they wouldn't expect it. Besides, it's exactly what a_ real _invasion would do—splitting up would weaken the force and increase the chances of getting caught._ He flicked his tail. _Is this how ShadowClan trains? Strategy games? We should do that more in WindClan._

"Now, can we go, or are we going to keep wasting time?" Ivypaw asked.

Minnowpaw stood up. "If you think this will work, let's do it."

"I _know_ this will work," Ivypaw replied. "Let's do it, then." With that, she stood and flicked her tail for the others to follow.

* * *

Lionpaw bounded through the long grass, panting heavily. He had gone to WindClan to race with Heatherpaw, and while he was doing pretty terribly, he _was_ having fun. Since Blackstar had decided to allow the Clans to use ShadowClan territory, Ashfoot had opted to have them run the outer edge of all territories, to challenge them to test their speed _and_ endurance.

Breezepaw had taken off at the head of the pack ages ago, but now Lionpaw could see him slowly walking ahead. Clearly, he had disregarded Ashfoot's point about endurance—the apprentice was remarkably fast, but he now had to rest.

Lionpaw slowed himself, trying to not alert the WindClan apprentice. He was slow, but he still had some energy left in him. _I'll catch up and put on a burst of speed to pass him!_ His tail twitched in excitement. He had been worried about coming to the Gathering at all—but Brightheart had encouraged him to, at least to be sure he didn't want to be a warrior anymore.

Lionpaw almost stopped to sniff something that could have been an herb. His decision hadn't yet wavered. He had steered clear of fighting and hunting challenges, and he would've had bees in his brain if he thought the ShadowClan game was a good idea. He felt a nervous twinge in his stomach. The racers had nearly made it to the ShadowClan border. _Hopefully Ivypaw won't be around the border… or Rowanclaw._

He pushed the feeling away. After today, he wouldn't have to worry about hurting cats anymore. _Maybe cats will forgive me if they see I've taken a different path._

Lionpaw shook himself. _Focus!_ He had nearly caught up to Breezepaw—and the border. He could already smell ShadowClan scent. Lionpaw steeled himself before he leaped forward and began to run again.

Breezepaw's head whipped back to see Lionpaw just as the golden tom raced by him. The WindClan apprentice bristled indignantly. "Oh, no you don't!" he yowled, as he took off after Lionpaw.

Breezepaw managed to catch up to Lionpaw, but he couldn't pass him. He was still clearly exhausted, but unwilling to relent. The toms raced side-by-side, each getting just ahead of the other before they fell back a pace. They were both unable to go very fast at all—ShadowClan territory was muddy, and both toms nearly lost their footing more than once.

In the distance, Lionpaw heard a yowl. He wondered briefly what that was—part of the game the others were playing, maybe?

Suddenly, Breezepaw put on an extra burst of speed. He took off ahead, racing along the border. Up ahead, Lionpaw noticed a Twoleg den outlined by a fence just a few fox-lengths outside of ShadowClan territory. He gritted his teeth and tried to urge himself on faster—he was fueled by competition and his urge to beat Breezepaw.

Suddenly, something flew from the fence and crashed dead into Breezepaw. Lionpaw let out a startled yowl and skidded to a halt as he watched the smaller tom get knocked flat off his paws and slammed to the ground. On top of him stood a massive tabby kittypet, teeth bared.

"What have we told you stupid Clan cats about keeping to your border?" the kittypet roared. This was no soft Twoleg plaything—he was huge, hulking, and _angry_.

A shriek rang out from the top of the fence, and Lionpaw saw a second kittypet appear at the top. "Flea-ridden strays!" she spat. "I thought we already taught you what happens when you get near our house—but I'll have to show you again!" She leaped down from the fence and began to charge Lionpaw.

Lionpaw froze. "Stop!" he yowled. _I don't want to fight anyone!_ "We didn't even go in your fence!"

The molly ignored him and leaped. Lionpaw, remembering his training, dropped and rolled. She landed clumsily and spun towards him. Lionpaw narrowed his eyes. _These kittypets are strong, but they're not trained like we are!_

Breezepaw let out a pained cry. Lionpaw turned to see the big tabby raking his claws across Breezepaw's chest as the dark tom pummeled his hind legs into his opponent's belly. _He needs help!_ He dodged another pounce from the molly before he turned and raced towards Breezepaw and the tabby.

"Jacques!" the molly yowled. "Behind you!"

The big tabby turned to see Lionpaw. He let out a caterwaul and leaped free of Breezepaw, then began to charge Lionpaw.

Lionpaw narrowed his eyes. _Come get me, then!_ he thought. _He'll kill Breezepaw if I don't stop him… I can do this!_ He braced himself for the force of Jacques' attack.

Jacques slammed into him with all the force of a monster and threw him backwards. Lionpaw felt the wind get knocked out of him as his back hit the ground. Jacques swiftly pinned him down and snarled into his face. "You Clan cats are brave, I'll give you that!" he lifted a paw, claws unsheathed, to tear out Lionpaw's throat. "But so, so, stupid."

Lionpaw took a breath and reared his head up with all his might. His skull hit Jacques' throat, and the tabby choked. The kittypet stumbled backward, wheezing, and Lionpaw took the opportunity to leap up and slash out with a paw. His claws tore trough Jacques' cheek.

 _Keep your cool, Lionpaw!_ he told himself. _You can do this!_

Jacques hissed and leaped forward. Lionpaw rolled away again and sank his teeth into the kittypet's tail as it flicked by his nose.

It was a mistake.

Lionpaw's teeth crunched on bone, and he tasted blood.

His nostrils flared. He let out a guttural yowl that sounded more like a roar. Lionpaw's vision swam and became clouded by a red fog. He stood and turned to face Jacques.

With another deafening roar, he leaped.

* * *

Jaypaw's ears pricked as he heard Russetfur's yowl. They hadn't made it far yet—but he hoped their head start would help.

He heard Ivypaw's tail thump on the ground. A heartbeat later, she let out a frustrated hiss and glanced back at her patrol. "Get down!" she whispered. "Don't any of you use tail signals?"

There were a few mutters as other cats began to crouch down. Jaypaw frowned thoughtfully. _Those don't help me at all,_ he thought. _But I could see how that would help in an invasion._ He creeped after Ivypaw, still pondering. _You know… ShadowClan is giving away a lot by letting us train here. I wonder if we're doing the same?_ His tail twitched. _Have ThunderClan and WindCan given away anything useful?_

Understanding dawned on Jaypaw as the group continued slowly onward. _This is why we keep the tunnels a secret,_ he thought. _Everyone is going to be giving away important things that could be used against them… battle techniques, training exercises, invasion strategies… but we'll have kept a huge part of our strength a secret._ He felt a strange sense of pride for his Clan. _No one can use the tunnels against us, and if we needed… we could use them against the others._

Jaypaw heard a new voice speak in his mind—one he had not heard before. _Wise thinking, young Jaypaw._ The stranger had a deep voice. Jaypaw's fur lifted in confusion as the voice continued to speak. _You should do your best to know all the other Clans—it will only make you and your Clan so much stronger._

 _Who are you?_ Jaypaw wondered. He tried to focus on following Ivypaw quietly, but his interest was piqued by this new voice. This was someone other than Spottedleaf—someone who didn't want to scold him.

 _Just a friend,_ the voice replied. _You will make a fine warrior, Jaypaw. I'll see you later._

With that, the voice said no more.

Jaypaw's tail twitched in excitement. _Another_ StarClan warrior must have taken interest in him. A _better_ one than Spottedleaf, to be sure! Perhaps StarClan had seen that she was more a nuisance than a help and sent someone else to speak to Jaypaw.

Ivypaw let out a soft hiss, and the patrol stopped. "Someone's up ahead," she breathed.

Minnowpaw tasted the air. "Smells like Mousepaw," she whispered. "He's a good hunter—he'll scent us in a heartbeat."

Ivypaw nodded. "Then we attack. I don't smell anyone else."

Mousepaw must have heard them, because Jaypaw began to hear pawsteps slowly moving towards them.

Ivypaw braced herself. "Wait…"

Jaypaw crouched down, ready to spring.

Minnowpaw went to stand by Ivypaw. "Let me," she whispered. "We've fought before—I can take him. We only need two across to win. And if we can, we'll still keep the group secret."

Harespring nodded. "Let's do it. Jaypaw and I will be the fastest—we should be the ones to charge the border."

Jaypaw felt almost indignant. _I can fight, too!_ But Harespring was right—the WindClan cats should be the ones to make the final charge. So he nodded silently and sheathed his claws.

Ivypaw nodded. "Fine. One… two…"

Mousepaw began to walk faster towards them. Minnowpaw darted forward, crashing through the undergrowth. Mousepaw let out a startled yowl, followed by a _thump_ as the apprentices collided.

"Found you!" Mousepaw exclaimed. "Where's the rest of the invaders?"

"We split up, minnow-brain!" Minnowpaw replied. There was another thump, followed by a squack from Mousepaw.

"Let's keep going," Ivypaw whispered. She began to lead Jaypaw and Harespring around the fight, and onwards through the territory.

Another yowl rang out, further up in the territory. Jaypaw frowned. _What's going on?_ That couldn't be another fight in the game—their group was all together. A shriek followed.

Ivypaw stiffened. "Oh, StarClan… who was frog-brained enough to cross the border?"

 _What?_ Jaypaw turned towards her. "What's going on?"

"Forget the game!" Ivypaw suddenly exclaimed. She leaped forward and took off into the undergrowth. "Come on!"

Harespring straightened up. "I don't know what's gotten into her, but let's not get left behind!" He nudged Jaypaw, and together, the two toms took

off after the ShadowClan apprentice.

A victorious cry sounded out up ahead, and someone exploded out of the undergrowth. Ivypaw was knocked clean off her paws as Owlpaw pinned her to the ground.

"Making a run for it?" Owlpaw crowed. "You should've left that to the WindClan cats!"

"Idiot!" Ivypaw snarled. "Didn't you hear the kittypets? Someone's getting attacked!"

Jaypaw and Harespring caught up to the two of them, and Owlpaw leaped away to avoid Harespring's swipe. The ShadowClan tom didn't back off fully—he took a few steps away and arched his back. "You're trying to distract me!" he hissed. "I won't lose!"

"I don't give a rat's tail about the game, Owlpaw!" Ivypaw snapped, as she stood up. "Listen!"

The young cats fell silent. In the distance, more shrieks and yowls could be heard. Jaypaw senses a sudden wave of fear from Owlpaw. He could tell the young tom hadn't actually fought he kittypets before—but whatever stories he had been raised on must have been _bad_. ShadowClan had some of the strongest scorn for kittypets, and to fear them must have taken immense violence.

Jaypaw lashed his tail. "Are we going to stand around here listening, or are we going to go deal with them?"

He sensed a sharp feeling of indignance from Owlpaw, but after a moment, the ShadowClan tom lashed his tail. "Fine," he hissed. "Let's go."

Together, the group bolted off towards the source of the sound. Jaypaw and Harespring ran at the head of the group. Though he still wasn't sure he could believe there were truly 'vicious' _kittypets_ , of all things, he couldn't help but worry—what exactly would be waiting for them at the border?

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **SkiesofAmethyst: Jaypaw often keeps his eyes closed in WindClan just because it doesn't do him much good to keep them open. And since he's a tunneler, he's grown used to having them shut for the sake of avoiding getting dirt and grit in them. He keeps them open at Gatherings, usually, but at home he doesn't always.**

 **The Apocryphal One: Brightheart'll have another apprentice, don't worry! Firestar knows she deserves it ;).**

 **Wolfwhisker of something: That's right!**

 **Kaktus: Who says Lionpaw is a stickler for the rules? And you might be onto something there!**

 **Thank you to everyone else who reviewed! This story made it to 100 reviews, which is really exciting!**


	22. Chapter 21

**We're finally here - the last chapter of book one! Thank you so much to everyone who has read/followed/reviewed this story, and I hope you'll stick around for the next book!**

* * *

Jaypaw's fur lifted along his spine as he heard a nightmarish roar pierce the air. He and the other apprentices had nearly reached the source of the fighting, but this was the first time he had heard _that_ cry. It was somehow catlike—but fueled by insurmountable rage.

Fear rushed through him as he raced alongside Harespring. Exactly what kind of kittypets would they be dealing with?

A shriek of terror. This one came from only fox-lengths up ahead.

Harespring bounded forward. "Nearly there!" he yowled. "Attack!"

Jaypaw crashed through the last line of ferns.

"Take that!"

Jaypaw stiffened. _It's Breezepaw!_ He tasted the air. Blood masked many of the scents—but he could pick out his brother. From the sounds of the fighting, there was at least another group fighting—but he wasn't sure how many.

"Great StarClan!" Harespring exclaimed. Jaypaw sensed a sudden burst of horror from the warrior as the other battling cats shrieked at one another.

The others had caught up and burst through the undergrowth. Ivypaw's sudden wave of fear was so powerful and overwhelming that it nearly made Jaypaw stagger.

 _What's wrong?_ He felt more frustrated than afraid himself.

"Get off of me!" a stranger howled. A second cat yowled wordlessly, and the first screeched as he was struck.

Two bodies came rolling by Jaypaw, and he had to leap back to avoid being caught in the fray. He stiffened as he recognized the scent of one of the cats. _Lionpaw?_ Jaypaw's throat tightened. _Ivypaw's afraid because he's here!_

Minnowpaw and Owlpaw darted to help Breezepaw. Jaypaw charged towards Lionpaw and the cat he was fighting—like it or not, he was going to have to work with the ThunderClan cat to drive the kittypet back.

Jaypaw leaped towards the stranger. The tom hadn't seen him—he was too busy wrestling with Lionpaw. The kittypet had just managed to pin him down when Jaypaw flew towards him and crashed into his side. The kittypet yowled in surprise and fell to his side.

Jaypaw was about to lash out at his enemy, but he felt claws slice through his shoulder, and he gasped as hot pain seared through his flesh. Confusion rushed through him as he leaped backwards, narrowly avoiding a snap of jaws. It could have only been Lionpaw who had clawed him—but why?

Lionpaw let out a wordless, guttural cry. He sounded larger and fiercer than he could possibly be, and the noise sent a rush of fear through Jaypaw. The WindClan tom tried to cast out his senses to understand what Lionpaw was thinking… but there was a numbness to the tom's mind. Jaypaw could sense an unnatural rage, but Lionpaw wasn't focused on anything. He wasn't fueled by a memory or a goal—he was driven only by wild, raw instinct.

Jaypaw heard the kittypet turn and dart towards him, but he felt strangely paralyzed. Fear gripped at him with powerful claws, making his legs stiffen and his heart leap into his throat. He hadn't felt this kind of fear before—not even when the tunnel was collapsing on him and his Clanmates. It only took hold once he tried to focus on Lionpaw. Some part of Jaypaw screamed at himself to stop sensing for Lionpaw, but even his mind was frozen by terror.

The kittypet's paws left the ground, and Jaypaw knew he was leaping for him, but still, he could not move. Lionpaw let out another horrifying yowl, sending a shudder through Jaypaw's body.

 _StarClan help me!_

* * *

Breezepaw kicked the kittypet molly in the belly, knocking her off of him. He looked up in time to see Owlpaw, Mousepaw, and Minnowpaw charge towards her and attack together, yowling fierce battle cries. Wincing, the young tom pushed himself up to standing. The kittypet's claws were sharp, and Breezepaw already bore many of her scratches along his pelt. But there was a still a fight to finish, so Breezepaw turned to see what exactly was going on with Lionpaw and the kittypet tom—Breezepaw had heard all manner of caterwauls and yowls, but he had been too busy with his fight with the molly to see what was happening.

He stiffened as he took in the sight. The kittypet tom had completely had one ear chewed off, and blood was pouring down one side of his head. He shook himself before he began to turn towards Jaypaw.

Jaypaw stood just a fox-length away from the kittypet, his fur standing on end, his pale eyes wide with fear. Breezepaw glanced towards Lionpaw, trying to understand what had terrified Jaypaw so much. His own throat tightened sharply as he took in the ThunderClan tom.

Lionpaw was snarling madly, his eyes strangely dark. Between his teeth was the ear of the kittypet, which he was shaking about like a crazed dog. He seemed _wild_ , his tail lashing about as he hissed and flung the ear. His lips curled back as he swung his head from side-to-side, searching for someone to fight.

Breezepaw forced himself to tear his gaze away from Lionpaw, and the terror that had seized him seemed to waver. It was as though merely looking upon Lionpaw had struck fear into his heart. _What_ is _he?_

The kittypet seemed to realize he had an easier opponent in Jaypaw, and he began to charge the small tom. Breezepaw yowled out a warning, but Jaypaw seemed unable to shake his stupor. _What's wrong with him? He can't even see Lionpaw - why is he so afraid?_

Breezepaw began to start towards him to help, but there was no need. As soon as Lionpaw saw the kittypet darting towards Jaypaw, he let out a mad howl and leaped. The kittypet never reached Jaypaw. Lionpaw barreled into him, clawing and snapping madly. It was as though all of his sense had left him, and he was attacking with instinct and rage alone. The two toms went down in a flurry of claws and fur.

Jaypaw finally seemed to shake his trance, and he stumbled back, hissing. His tail was lashing, but he did not strike. Breezepaw hardly blamed him—it was impossible for even a sighted cat to try and throw themselves into wrestling mass of screaming, snarling toms. His ears folded back as he watched them writhing.

Finally, the kittypet managed to tear himself away. He was bleeding heavily from many wounds, and Breezepaw would have pitied him if he hadn't attacked them out of nowhere. The tom staggered, gasping for breath.

Lionpaw began to lunge towards him again, and Harespring leaped into action. "Hold him back!" he ordered. He darted towards the younger tom and seized him by the scruff. The kittypet stumbled away as Lionpaw snarled and snapped at the air. Owlpaw and Jaypaw hurried to help Harespring pin him down.

Breezepaw stared at him, his mind reeling in confusion. _What's wrong with him? It's like he isn't even thinking!_

"Jacques!" the kittypet molly yowled, her eyes round with worry.

Minnowpaw snarled and clawed at her shoulder. "Get out of here!" she spat. "Or we'll give you worse wounds than your fleabag friend!"

They didn't need to be told twice. The molly darted towards the fence, and Jacques stumbled after her. Together, they climbed up the fence and disappeared from sight.

Lionpaw struggled against his captors for a few heartbeats, before he suddenly collapsed. The other apprentices moved closer, each seeming as curious and confused as Breezepaw felt. Breezepaw peered cautiously over Harespring's shoulder. Lionpaw let out a soft groan and blinked a few times. "What… what happened?"

"What happened?" Minnowpaw blurted. "You tried to kill the kittypet!"

"What?!" Lionpaw demanded. He sat up suddenly, and the cats all braced themselves. He looked around, anxiety clear in his amber gaze. "I… where did they go?"

"Do you really not remember?" Harespring asked. His ears were flattened, and he looked wary.

Mousepaw looked worried for his Clanmate. "Are you okay, Lionpaw?"

Jaypaw's brows were furrowed as he turned his head towards Lionpaw. "You were ruthless," he hissed. "You would've killed him while he was trying to flee if we didn't stop you."

Lionpaw flinched. A deep look of shame came over him. "No… no, I wouldn't… I didn't…"

Owlpaw, strangely enough, seemed to be the only cat unfazed by Lionpaw's berserk rage. "Well, it would have served him right!" he spat. "I'll bet they won't be so eager to abush warriors again."

 _What a freak,_ Breezepaw thought. He glanced towards Ivypaw, who hadn't lifted a paw the entire fight. _Fat load of good she did._ But as he saw her expression of fear as she stared at Lionpaw, he couldn't help but feel a stab of sympathy for her. _Lionpaw might've been helping us this time… but he almost killed Ivypaw the last time that happened._ He felt himself bristle. _What if he freaks out like that again?_ Breezepaw considered himself a good fighter, but even he felt a thrill of fear run down his spine at the thought of Lionpaw's uncontrolled rage turned against himself.

Lionpaw was trembling now. His ears were flattened, and his tail flipped about. "I don't know what happened… they just came out of nowhere, and then…" His voice trailed off, and he lowered his head.

Harespring flicked his tail. "We need to get back to the others," he meowed. "Russetfur needs to hear about this… and we need to get back to the Gathering."

Breezepaw glanced sidelong at him. _Who made you leader?_ He sharply wondered. Harespring _was_ the only warrior present—but not even a moon ago he had been training alongside Breezepaw. He bit back an annoyed retort and nodded.

Nobody else seemed eager to argue. Mousepaw stood by Lionpaw as the others began to pad back into the pine woods. Jaypaw joined Breezepaw as he started to walk away, not wanting to be stuck hanging around the wild ThunderClan apprentice.

Jaypaw's tail brushed Breezepaw's side. "Something is _really_ wrong with Lionpaw," he hissed, keeping his voice low.

"Yeah, he's crazy," Breezepaw muttered. "But what got into you? You were totally frozen back there."

"I don't know, it's like…" Jaypaw's ears flattened. "There was nothing going on in his head. He wasn't thinking about anything… just fighting."

Breezepaw frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Jaypaw grumbled. "But I don't trust him. He's dangerous."

Breezepaw glanced over his shoulder. Mousepaw and Lionpaw were walking together slowly. Lionpaw's head was bowed, and his eyes dull. _He doesn't look dangerous anymore,_ he thought. _But the way he was fighting…_ he shuddered. _Jaypaw is right. There's something…_ off _about him._

* * *

Hollypaw stared down into the stream, eyes trained on the silver fish below the water's surface. For some reason, she had elected to join the fishing contest. Deep down, she had wanted to join her brothers… but they had both been distant and short with her lately.

Hollypaw slapped a paw down on the water, claws unsheathed, and only succeeded in splashing water on herself. _Fox-dung!_ She looked around, embarrassed. All along both sides of the stream were a number of cats, mostly RiverClan, also immersed in fishing. They looked up, some giving her an annoyed look, while the younger ones snickered in amusement. Every cat had at least one fish at their side.

 _How do RiverClan cats do this?_ She wondered. Hollypaw sighed. _I wish Breezepaw or Jaypaw were here. I don't know any of these cats._ Even Cinderpaw would have been nice company—but the ThunderClan molly had gone to her own Clan to climb trees. Hollypaw grimaced at the thought. _At least all my paws are on the ground!_

"Having trouble?"

Hollypaw glanced up to see a young cat standing a fox-length away. Her pelt was a dark gray, nearly black, with thick tabby stripes, and her fur was long and silky. The pretty molly was clearly RiverClan—her fur practically was shining in the sunlight, and she had a short but plumy tail like many of her Clanmates.

"I… um…" Hollypaw's mouth felt strangely dry.

The RiverClan molly chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You don't have to be embarrassed. Fishing is hard to learn! I could show you a trick or two, if you wanted. I'm not in the competition."

 _Is she serious?_ Hollypaw stared blankly at her, eyes wide. Her heart thumped loudly. _Say something, hare-brain!_ She blinked rapidly and cleared her throat. "That would be great!" she meowed, perhaps a little too enthusiastically.

"Great!" the molly purred. "I'm Willowpaw. What's your name?"

 _Willowpaw…_ Hollypaw stared back at her. "My… my name?" Her mind had gone completely blank.

Willowpaw nodded. "Your name?" she repeated. She looked endlessly amused by Hollypaw's stupor.

 _Hare-brain! Snap out of it!_ "Hollypaw!" she blurted. "I mean, I'm Hollypaw."

Willowpaw gave her a friendly blink. "Well, it's nice to meet you." She padded closer, and Hollypaw's ears felt warm. Willowpaw flicked her tail against Hollypaw's chest. "First of all, you're leaning over the water too much. Try sitting back a bit. The fish won't see you as well that way."

Hollypaw nodded for a few heartbeats as she leaned back.

Willowpaw sat beside her and peered into the water. "Second, you don't want to strike at the fish like you're pinning down prey… you'll have more luck if you scoop them out and kill them on dry land. Watch this!"

Hollypaw didn't need any convincing. She stared unblinkingly at Willowpaw as the pretty RiverClanner watched the water for a few long moments. Hollypaw's fish seemed to have returned without a care, and when it came within reach, Willowpaw swung her paw sideways through the water. She scooped the fish up and out of the water, and it spun through the air before it flopped onto the ground. It flopped about desperately, and Hollypaw was quick to pounce and dispatch it.

"See?" Willowpaw purred. "Not too hard at all."

"That was amazing!" Hollypaw breathed. "Why aren't you in the contest if you're so good at fishing?"

Willowpaw smiled, seeming pleased by Hollypaw's praise. "I'm not _that_ amazing at fishing, but I wouldn't be a RiverClan cat if I didn't at least know how to do it. Anyway, I'm a medicine cat, so I'm just here to watch."

"You should compete!" Hollypaw insisted. "You've already got more fish than me."

Willowpaw purred in amusement. "You can keep the fish," she meowed. "You killed it. But I'll be here in case you start drowning or break a claw."

Hollypaw wasn't sure what to say, and before she had the chance to think up anything, Willowpaw gave her a friendly blink and started to turn away. "I'm going to see how Dapplepaw is doing. See you around!"

Hollypaw watched her go, her ears warm. She wished Willowpaw would stay, but part of her felt relieved. Her tongue felt unusually dry, and she turned to take a drink from the river. It did nothing to stop the tightness of her throat. _What's gotten into me? Stop acting like you've got bees in your brain!_

She shook herself and tried to focus on finding another fish. Hollypaw glanced down at the water. The nice part about fishing, she had realized, was that the fish would be forgiving about being startled. Every fish she had attempted to catch and scared off had returned to the same spot. Hollypaw crouched down, ready to try and swipe like Willowpaw had taught her.

Before she could, a commotion of voices made her lift her head.

"Hey, who's that?"

"Minnowpaw! What happened to you?"

"The ShadowClan group is back!"

Confused, Hollypaw scanned the area across the stream. It didn't take long to spot them—the stream was only a tree's fall from the lake, and the area between them was sandy and only had a few clumps of grass. Minnowpaw, a RiverClan apprentice, was leading the way—followed by Harespring, Russetfur, Jaypaw, and Breezepaw. Hollypaw's ears pricked with alarm as she saw the fresh wounds marking the shoulders of her brothers.

"Breezepaw! Jaypaw!" she called. Without another thought, she bounded through the shallow stream to get to her brothers. "What happened to you?"

Minnowpaw split off from the group to join her Clanmates, who began to question and fret over her. Russetfur dipped her head to Mistyfoot, who padded towards the ShadowClan deputy. "They were attacked on the border," Russetfur growled. "Two kittypets."

" _Kittypets?_ " Mistyfoot echoed, disbelief clear in her voice.

Jaypaw and Breezepaw padded towards Hollypaw, but neither seemed particularly excited that she was there. Jaypaw's expression was blank and unreadable, while Breezepaw looked downright irritated. He had more scratches than Jaypaw, but neither seemed too terribly hurt. Hollypaw breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank StarClan you're alright," she meowed. "Now what's this about kittypets?"

"Lionpaw and I were in the race," Breezepaw growled. "But some kittypets ambushed us. They weren't like all the kittypets I've heard about… they wanted to kill us."

 _Lionpaw?_ Hollypaw frowned, confused. She glanced around the group of cats again, but he was nowhere to be found.

"He went to ThunderClan with Mousepaw," Breezepaw explained.

Jaypaw curled his lip. "He went crazy in the fight," he spat. "It was like he couldn't control himself. He even clawed _me_ at one point!" His tail lashed. "That cat is dangerous."

Before Hollypaw could say anything, Mistyfoot let out a short yowl. "The contest is over!" she cried. "We need to get these cats back to the Gathering. Their leaders need to know what happened."

Nobody seemed too upset about the abrupt ending—the mood had been spoiled by the news of the attack on a day meant for peace. Hollypaw frowned to herself as she watched the cats pile together the fish that had been caught. _What horrible kittypets,_ she thought. _We were supposed to all be getting along… but now they've ruined it!_

Jaypaw and Breezepaw padded past her without a word, heading in the direction of the Gathering Island. Hollypaw blinked as she watched them go. She felt a jab of hurt as they briskly walked on without her. _Why don't they want to walk with me?_

There had always been a distance between Hollypaw and her brothers, but it had never felt quite so purposeful. Ever since the dog attack, Hollypaw had been trying to be around them… but they always went off without her like they were now.

Hollypaw gritted her teeth. _Well, I'm not going to stop trying. We're littermates… we have to stick together! If they can't see that, I'll just have to make them._

But before she hurried after them, she noticed Willowpaw joining the group that was walking back to the Gathering, and her resolve wavered. The medicine cat apprentice smiled and started to speed up to walk with Hollypaw, her fluffy tail waving in the air.

 _The Gathering is for meeting other cats in peace,_ Hollypaw reminded herself. _I can't let the kittypets ruin that… and I have other time to spend with my brothers._ "Hello again," Hollypaw called.

Willowpaw seemed pleased that Hollypaw had greeted her, and bounded up to her side. "Hello yourself," Willowpaw replied. Her eyes darkened as she stopped beside Hollypaw. "Strange that kittypets would just attack like that… I wonder if they were provoked? It's not like kittypets to be so aggressive."

A growl came from Russetfur, who began to walk with Mistyfoot towards the head of the group. "Those kittypets have always been aggressive," she hissed. "Be thankful they didn't kill your Clanmates."

Willowpaw leaned towards Hollypaw and whispered, "Is it just me, or is she a little too serious?"

Hollypaw held back a chuckle. Something about Willowpaw made the situation feel… much less tense. She nodded quietly as they began to follow the rest of the returning party. _I just hope nothing else terrible happened. It might not have been a Clan-on-Clan battle, but… something about being attacked during the Gathering feels wrong._

* * *

It didn't take long after returning to the Gathering Island for the leaders to tell something was wrong. The scent of blood quickly had the cats on the island on edge and calling out all manner of questions. It was Onestar that let out a yowl for silence.

Hollypaw hung back as Russetfur relayed the tale to the four leaders and brought Jaypaw and Breezepaw up to the front of the returning party to show their wounds.

"No one was killed, but they were vicious," Russetfur was explaining. "I didn't think it necessary to treat them immediately, but I recommend your medicine cat look at them when you return." She glanced towards Firestar. "Lionpaw and Mousepaw went home on their own."

Blackstar curled his lip after Russetfur finished. With a loud growl, he shoved his way between Leopardstar and Firestar, making a beeline for the Leaders' Tree. He climbed up swiftly and let out a furious yowl. "I move to bring this Gathering to an end!"

Hollypaw gasped quietly. _What's gotten under his pelt? Everyone is fine!_

Leopardstar narrowed her eyes. "Blackstar, please be reasonable. Let us finish the celebrations—"

" _No!_ " Blackstar roared. "I knew this was a cursed affair from the start! It is unprecedented for the Clans to meet in daylight like this! For us to share prey and tactics and strategies! ShadowClan has felt the threat of these kittypets before, but it has been _moons_ since they've tried to attack us. It is a clear sign from StarClan that this is not meant to be!"

Willowpaw bristled. "You don't speak for StarClan!" she hissed. Mistyfoot turned around and silenced her with a fierce stare.

Hollypaw admired Willowpaw's bravery to stick up to a Clan leader, but deep down, she felt uncertain. _Is Blackstar right?_ She wondered. _It just doesn't seem right for us to be attacked during the Gathering. Maybe it was wrong to meet like this…_

"The attack was a coincidence!" Firestar protested. "A couple of angry kittypets doesn't mean _StarClan_ condemns this meeting."

"You _would_ defend kittypets!" Onestar hissed. "Only my apprentices seem to be truly injured."

Breezepaw stepped forward and let out a growl. "Lionpaw is the one that clawed Jaypaw!"

Jaypaw stiffened, as though he hadn't expected Breezepaw to speak up. He must have chosen to keep that to himself—he certainly hadn't been looking eager to talk.

Onestar's eyes widened, enraged. Blackstar bared his teeth. "What's this?" the ShadowClan leader snarled. " _Lionpaw_? The same cat that brutalized Ivypaw hardly any time ago?"

Firestar parted his jaws to speak, but Onestar cut him off with a hiss. "Get out of my sight!" the WindClan leader screeched. "Not once, but twice this apprentice has acted out of line!" He drew up his chin, eyes blazing with fury. "Deal with your apprentice, Firestar… Or _I'll_ deal with him myself!"

 _That_ seemed to set something off in Firestar. The bright ginger tom stood up and curled his lip. "Don't _dare_ to threaten my grandson again, Onestar!" he hissed. "I will deal with Lionpaw how I see fit!"

"Send ThunderClan home!" shrieked a ShadowClan molly.

"Clan of rogues and kittypets!"

"Begone!"

Hollypaw flattened her ears as yowls and accusations began to be flung wildly. ThunderClan cats were leaping up and hissing at ShadowClan and WindClan cats. RiverClanners seemed uncertain—Mistyfoot and Leopardstar remained silent throughout the din, eyes darting about.

A great rumbling suddenly sounded from the sky. Hollypaw could feel it in her chest. She looked up in time to see dark storm clouds rolling across the sky. A heartbeat later, a bolt of lightning snaked down from the sky and struck the Leaders' Tree with a loud _snap_. Cats shrieked in terror as the foliage near the top burst into flame.

Blackstar stared up at the blaze that had started above his head, his eyes wide and unblinking.

And then, as soon as the fire was started, rain began to pour from the sky. It fell in heavy, rapid drops, splattering powerfully against the island and the cats who stood there. Hollypaw yowled as she was almost immediately drenched by the downpour, and she joined the many cats who raced for shelter under a tree or bush.

Only the leaders remained in the open. Blackstar stood alone on the Leaders' Tree, his eyes fixed on the scorched leaves above. Onestar, Firestar, and Leopardstar sat in the middle of the Island. Onestar's stare was pointed hatefully at Firestar, while Leopardstar and Firestar glared up at Blackstar.

" _You_ have brought this upon the Gathering!" Firestar yowled, his voice hardly carrying through the sound of the heavy rain. "You come here every moon for accusations against my Clan, but it always after _your_ rants and hatred that StarClan brings their disapproval!"

"Firestar is right," Leopardstar hissed. "This Gathering is over, but mark my words, Blackstar… if I have to sit through another demented speech of yours again at a peace meeting, I _will_ see to it your position is less permenant!" With her threat spat, she lashed her tail. "Go home, everyone!"

The RiverClan leader stood and bounded towards the fallen log. RiverClan hurriedly followed her, none eager to be left on the island. Willowpaw didn't even mutter a goodbye to Hollypaw as she darted to join her Clanmates.

Onestar hissed wordlessly at Firestar as he too began to head towards the log. "WindClan, to me!" he yowled.

Hollypaw began to follow him as he hurried towards the log. Her mind swam with fear and confusion—it felt like only heartbeats ago that she had been peacefully sitting on the streambank, learning to fish… and now, the Clans had all gone from a peaceful Gathering to having threatened each other in one way or another.

Hollypaw's pelt pricked with worry as she fell in behind Owlwhisker. _What's happening to the Clans?_ She wondered. _The Warrior Code says that the Gathering is meant to a time of peace… but the leaders all hate each other too much to keep it that way!_

She glanced over her shoulder. Breezepaw and Jaypaw were walking together towards the log. Jaypaw's ears were flattened, but Breezepaw looked almost proud. Hollypaw narrowed her eyes. _What's gotten into him? He could have just caused a war by announcing that to everyone!_

A pelt brushed against hers, and she glanced up to see Crowfeather walking beside her. "Don't worry," he muttered. "This will all blow over. It takes more than some yowling at a Gathering to cause real trouble."

Hollypaw leaned against her father as they approached the fallen tree, hoping to find some comfort in his fur. But worry still pricked at her pelt. "Breezepaw almost caused a fight," she whispered. "What if the leaders had attacked each other?"

Crowfeather's narrowed. "I'll deal with Breezepaw," he grumbled. "It seems he needs a reminder of how to behave at a Gathering."

Hollypaw eyed him curiously. _What's he thinking?_ Crowfeather certainly _looked_ angry, but it was hard to tell what was actually going on in his head. She felt a bit guilty for even bringing up Breezepaw. _I hope he's not too hard on him,_ she thought. _It was dumb, but… I don't_ think _he meant to cause that much trouble._ Hollypaw swallowed, feeling uncomfortably unconvinced of her brother's innocence. _Right?_

* * *

Breezepaw was exhausted by the time the group reached camp. _What a day._ He wasn't sure how to feel about everything that had happened—but if nothing else, he was glad that Lionpaw had been proved yet again to be a dangerous menace. _Heatherpaw won't want anything to do with him after she hears about what happened,_ he thought, a bit smugly.

Jaypaw has stayed by his side the entire walk home, but he hadn't said a word the entire time. Breezepaw glanced curiously at him. _He's probably just tired, too,_ he thought.

Cats who had gone to ThunderClan or had been in the race were already back in camp, it seemed. Heatherpaw was sitting with the younger WindClan warriors, a fat hare between her paws. She turned to watch as the returning Gathering party padded down the slope into camp.

"You're back!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement. It only took a moment for her eyes to narrow with concern as she noticed the unhappy expressions of her Clanmates. "What happened?"

"ThunderClan nonsense is what happened," Webfoot hissed.

"What?" Nightcloud meowed. She had stayed behind during the Gathering. "What did they do this time?"

Onestar padded past them all, heading for the slope he used to make his announcements. He didn't bother letting out a yowl—everyone was already looking to him for answers.

Breezepaw was about to sit when someone shouldered him. Startled, he looked up to see Crowfeather standing next to him, his expression unreadable. "Come on," he muttered. "We need to talk."

 _Talk?_ Breezepaw thought. He had half a mind to snap at Crowfeather and tell him to leave him alone, but as he noticed he anger burning in his father's eyes, he swallowed nervously. "Fine," he hissed. He glanced at Jaypaw. The gray tom had not turned towards Crowfeather, but Jaypaw's ears were angled his way, as though wondering if his father would acknowledge him.

He did not. Crowfeather turned without a word and headed towards the camp exit.

Jaypaw curled his lip. Breezepaw could tell he was annoyed—but Breezepaw wasn't sure if he would rather Crowfeather ignore him like usual right now. _What does he even want?_ "I'll be right back," Breezepaw whispered. He got up as Onestar began to speak and explain the events of the Gathering, following his father a fox-length behind.

Breezepaw padded up the slope to leave camp, sighing to himself. His shoulders felt stiff after the long run and the fight, and he wasn't in the mood to talk to his father. _Why can't he decide to be interested in me when I'm not dead tired?_

Crowfeather led him a few paces away from the camp. Breezepaw briefly lifted his chin to the sky. The sudden rain that had come to the Gathering had already cleared away, leaving a few scattered clouds in the sky. _Was it really a sign from StarClan?_ He wondered. _Were they threatening ThunderClan… or warning Blackstar?_ His tail tip twitched.

"Come here," Crowfeather huffed. He glanced over his shoulder, staring impatiently at Breezepaw.

Breezepaw padded closer. Nervousness began to creep up his spine. What did Crowfeather want?

Crowfeather sat down. He turned his gaze out towards the lake, his eyes narrowed. Breezepaw cautiously moved closer and sat a fox-length away, not eager to be too close to his father. Crowfeather had never struck him before—but some instinct told Breezepaw to keep a safe distance.

Crowfeather glanced sharply at him, his lip curling back. "Why can't you ever keep your mouth shut?" he snapped.

Breezepaw winced at his father's furious tone. "What?"

Crowfeather turned fully to face him. "Your disruption could have caused a war! You never _think_ before you open your jaws or unsheathe your claws. One of these days you're going to get someone _killed_!" His final word was snarled out.

The ferocity of his tone made Breezepaw lean back, his throat tightening. "I—"

"Be quiet!" Crowfeather hissed. "Don't interrupt me!"

 _I wasn't!_ Breezepaw flattened his ears. His father had never shouted at him like this before—he had ignored him, questioned his ability, and grumbled about him before, yes—but never yowled right at him.

Crowfeather stood and lashed his tail. He took a step towards Breezepaw, teeth bared. "You need to learn your place," he spat. "You're an apprentice, not a warrior! Not a _leader_ , either, for StarClan's sake! You have no place yowling at a Gathering or making wild accusations!"

Breezepaw shrank back and drew his tail around himself. "It was true!" he hissed back. "Lionpaw attacked Jaypaw in the fight with the kittypets."

Crowfeather's eyes blazed. "Don't talk back to me!" he snarled. Breezepaw flinched as spittle hit his nose. "You could have instigated a fight during the truce!"

Breezepaw drew himself up, feeling a rush of fury. " _He hurt Jaypaw!"_ he yowled. "Doesn't that matter?"

A growl escaped Crowfeather's throat, and for a moment, he lurched forward, as though he were about to attack Breezepaw. The younger tom scrambled back, fear gripping at his heart.

Crowfeather stopped in his tracks, a paw lifted, as though he had been ready to lash out at Breezepaw for his insolence. Crowfeather set it down, slowly, breathing heavily. "Get out of my sight," he hissed. "Come back to camp when you've decided to stop thinking with your claws."

Breezepaw's heart was beating wildly as Crowfeather turned on his paws and began to run back to camp. He watched until his father disappeared.

The tension in his chest slowly released. Breezepaw crumpled into a crouch. Tears welled in his eyes. He wasn't sure what he was feeling—hurt? Scared? Shocked? A sob shook him, and he fell to his side and curled up in as tight of a ball as he possibly could.

Breezepaw drew his paws over his face and tucked himself together even harder. He couldn't catch his breath—the pressure in his chest was so strong that he thought it might explode.

 _He's gone he's gone he's gone…_

Breezepaw choked down a breath of air. He had always secretly hoped his father would take notice of him, more than he normally would to simply mutter his disappointment—but not like this. The malice in Crowfeather's voice stung worse than the kittypet's claws. No scratch could burn as much as the disgust in his father's eyes had. Breezepaw still felt the scorch of them. His belly twisted as he gripped himself, and for a moment, he felt bile rise in his throat.

 _He hates me._

The thought made his eyes fly open. Breezepaw gritted his teeth. _Why aren't I good enough for him?_

Breezepaw closed his eyes again. _What's wrong with me?_

He would remain there all night, curled tight like a frightened hedgehog. No one came to find him or wake him. Breezepaw would not return to camp until the next morning, filled with anger and despair and deep, deep confusion.

* * *

A molly sat in a rotting forest. She peered down into the puddle before her, watching as a young tom grappled with his father's behavior. She was a massive tortoiseshell, and her amber eyes glinted with interest. Her claws curled into the muck. Blood dripped from a deep wound in her throat, splashing in the puddle and briefly ripping the vision.

Behind her sat another tabby molly, smaller in stature. The tortoiseshell glanced back at her, smiling her approval. "You chose well, Sparrowfeather," she purred.

Sparrowfeather flicked her tail, looking pleased. "It was only a matter of time before Crowfeather snapped," she replied. "He'll be easier to mold than mud now."

The tortoiseshell nodded her great head and turned her gaze back towards the puddle. "Go to him," she ordered. "He is ready."

Sparrowfeather dipped her head. "I will. He is ours, Mapleshade, I am sure of it."

Mapleshade flicked her ears in acknowledgement. Sparrowfeather took it as a sign to leave, and without another word, turned on her paws and departed.

Mapleshade crouched before the pool, narrowing her eyes. _The time has finally come,_ she thought. _So it begins._


	23. Epilogue

**Okay, _this_ is the real end of the story. I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to add the epilogue, but I think it's necessary for the next book, as the prologue is going to a new character ;). Thank you again to everyone that has been following and reviewing this story! I'll be putting up the prologue and allegiances for Book Two: _Dark Eclipse_ soon, but I can't promise a regular posting schedule yet. I'm going to be taking a step back from Power of Three briefly to get some work done on _Fire and Water_ and _The Blazing Storm,_ as well as some serious plotting for a comic I'm working on with a couple other folks. It's not going to be a total hiatus, but there will be quite some time between chapters until my other works get a little more love.**

* * *

"Don't be afraid, Lionpaw."

Lionpaw took a breath as he paused in his walking. Before him lay the path to the Moonpool—the sacred place where medicine cats came to speak with StarClan. Leafpool stopped to stand beside him and offered an encouraging smile.

Half a moon had passed since the events of the Daylight Gathering. ThunderClan had been tense in the days following—after Blackstar's outburst at the Gathering, followed by the brief but violent storm from StarClan, everyone had been on edge. Lionpaw had returned to camp before the incident, exhausted and terrified by the kittypet attack… mostly because of his own violence in it. Since the Gathering, Lionpaw had begun training with Leafpool, but he had yet to be officially presented to StarClan and the other medicine cats.

Lionpaw hesitated. "Are you sure I can do it?" he asked. "Be a medicine cat… after everything I've done?"

Leafpool touched the tip of her tail to Lionpaw's flank. The gesture soothed the beating of his heart. "Only you can decide your place in the Clan," she sagely replied. "If you want to be a warrior, you can turn back now. But if this is what you want… step forward and see for yourself what your ancestors make of you." His aunt leaned forward and touched her nose to Lionpaw's ear. "StarClan will judge you fairly, Lionpaw."

Lionpaw looked down at his paws. _I wanted to be a warrior so badly,_ he thought. _I wanted to be like Brambleflower and Firestar… strong and brave._ He closed his eyes and took a breath. _But I can't figure out how to control… whatever it is. It's better this way. I can stop hurting cats… and start helping them._ Lionpaw breathed out slowly.

Berrypaw and Honeypaw had been shocked by Lionpaw's confession to them, days after the Gathering.

" _What? A medicine cat?" Berrypaw's eyes were wide._

" _You can't talk me out of it," Lionpaw meowed. His head bowed, unable to meet the gazes of his friends. "I'm tired of hurting everyone when I fight. I don't understand what happens to me, but I don't want to do it anymore."_

 _Honeypaw and Berrypaw shared a glance. Honeypaw was the first to speak._

" _It's okay, Lionpaw," she meowed. "If it's meant to be, you should do it."_

 _Lionpaw lifted his head. "Really?"_

 _Berrypaw grinned and shouldered him. "Honeypaw's right. Besides, with you out of the way, I won't have any competition for being the best warrior of ThunderClan!"_

" _Berrypaw!" Honeypaw slapped him with her tail. "Be serious!"_

 _Berrypaw rolled his eyes. "I'm just kidding!" he replied, before he leaned towards Lionpaw and quickly touched his nose to Lionpaw's ear. "I'll miss having you in training. It was nice to have a rival." A heartbeat later, he added, "And a friend."_

 _Lionpaw felt warmth blossom in his chest. He momentarily felt overwhelmed by gratitude for his friends. "We'll still be friends," he promised. "Nothing will change that."_

" _Good!" Honeypaw purred. "And don't forget it—or we'll come drag you out of Leafpool's den ourselves!"_

Lionpaw smiled to himself. _I still have them,_ he thought. _Thank StarClan for that._ He glanced at Leafpool. "Okay," he meowed. "I'm ready."

Leafpool nodded towards the path. "Let's go." She stepped forward and began to walk up the short slope.

Lionpaw followed. He found the path well-worn beneath his paws, and his pads pressed into indentations left by generations of cats before him. He didn't dwell on how or why so many had walked here when the Clans had only lived here for a full season cycle—it didn't matter to him. He walked on, feeling a breeze that seemed to blow from the earth itself. It ruffled his pelt, making him feel warm and cold and giddy all at once, as though seized by the spirits of the place. Though he saw no one else, he felt soft pelts brushing against his, as though many cats were swiftly walking past. Voices whispered in his ear as his paws were tugged along by the soft breeze.

" _Welcome!"_

" _Welcome, Lionpaw."_

" _Come, young one."_

" _Welcome."_

" _Up a little further."_

" _Sit with us."_

" _Come now."_

" _Come and receive your destiny."_

The voices were hardly there, but he could just barely catch them in his ears, fluttering by like moths. They stirred something in his heart, and Lionpaw picked up the pace.

Ferns grew on either end of the path, draping over it like an arch. Leafpool walked under them, her tail stirring them gently. Drops of water rolled off them and hit Lionpaw on the nose as he followed. He shivered, feeling a rush of kit-like energy.

Leafpool stepped aside, and Lionpaw walked forward to stand beside her. He could see the other medicine cats sitting around the pool before him, but he hardly took notice of them. The moment he laid eyes upon the pool, he gasped.

The Moonpool was larger than he expected. It was the length of at least three large cats, and perfectly round. The crystal clear water reflected the half-moon and stars above, and their reflections seemed to sparkle strangely as the water rippled in the gentle breeze. Lionpaw wasn't wholly sure if was imagining the glow that seemed to rise from the surface. A strange urge compelled him forward, but he looked to his mentor for approval.

Leafpool stepped closer to the pool, nodding to him. Lionpaw moved with her.

It was then that he finally began to notice the other cats, and nervousness crept up his spine. He recognized Littlecloud of ShadowClan, and though he knew the names of the Clans' other medicine cats, he had never met them to place the names with faces. There were five in all, young and old, peering curiously at him.

"Step into the light of the pool," Leafpool instructed. Lionpaw stepped closer. He hadn't imagined the unnatural glow at all—light seemed to surround the pool, illuminating him and all other medicine cats around it.

A dark tabby gasped softly, and Lionpaw flinched, thinking for a moment that the old tom would hiss in disapproval. Instead, he simply turned to Leafpool and smiled.

"My, my, Leafpool—is that an apprentice I see?"

Leafpool returned the smile and nodded. "Yes, Barkface," she replied. "Lionpaw has chosen to give up the path of a warrior to be my apprentice."

"Lionpaw?" whispered whom must have been Barkface's apprentice, for he was a young tom by his side. "But that's…"

"—Very exciting for Leafpool," Barkface interrupted, slapping his tail over his apprentice's jaws. "It has been many seasons since ThunderClan has had a medicine cat apprentice."

A beautiful golden tabby that sat across the Moonpool gave Lionpaw a friendly nod. "Welcome, Lionpaw," she meowed. She cast a sly smile towards Littlecloud. "That only leaves you, old friend—any apprentice in your future?"

Littlecloud huffed, but his eyes twinkled good-naturedly. "I'll take one when the time is right!" he replied. "Though it seems one of Tawnypelt's kits has an interest in my den…" he shook his head. "But I don't want to interrupt Lionpaw's first time at the Moonpool with gossip."

Leafpool nodded gratefully. "Introductions can come after," she meowed. "But I'd like to begin Lionpaw's ceremony."

Barkface nodded in agreement. "Better not to waste moonlight."

Leafpool cleared her throat. "Lionpaw," she loudly meowed, and the tom straightened up.

 _This is it,_ he thought. _No turning back._

"Is it truly your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"

Lionpaw lifted his chin. "Yes. It is."

Leafpool nodded her approval, pride shining in her eyes. "Warriors of StarClan," she declared. "I present to you this apprentice. He has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant him your wisdom and insight so that he may understand your ways and heal their Clan in accordance with your will."

The other medicine cats nodded their approval, then leaned down and began to lap at the pool. Lionpaw crouched, but he still felt a twinge of anxiety. He glanced up at Leafpool. "What's going to happen?"

Leafpool crouched down and murmured into his ear, "It's different for everyone. Perhaps you will walk with your ancestors… but maybe they will give you a special dream or vision. They may even test you." She smiled reassuringly. "Be brave, Lionpaw. Drink."

Lionpaw steeled himself and turned his gaze into the water. He found that though he could see clearly through the water, he could not see the bottom. _How deep is the Moonpool?_ he wondered, before shaking his head. _Focus! Here goes nothing._ Lionpaw leaned in and lapped up the water.

Cold unlike any other jolted through him, and he nearly spat out the water. It was as though he'd taken a bite of ice. But Lionpaw found that he could not part his jaws—he couldn't move at all. The freezing cold swept through him, stiffening him to the core.

Then Lionpaw was falling.

His eyes closed, and darkness swept over him. It felt as though he were plummeting from the top of a tree, but he couldn't open his eyes or sense anything. There was simply eternal nothingness around him.

Then, as though waking up, his eyes flickered open. Lionpaw's stomach surged, expecting to be crashing into the ground—but he found he was standing still in a little forest clearing.

 _Huh?_

Lionpaw looked around, confused. The grass grew to midway up his legs, soft and brighter green than he thought was possible. Lush trees grew all over, for as far as he could see, their roots twisting in and out of the ground. The warm scent of fresh-kill blew through the air, and Lionpaw's mouth watered. A brook babbled nearby. A feeling of calm and peace washed over him, and all his muscles relaxed.

Lionpaw heard grass rustle behind him, and he turned around to face the source of the sound.

A tortoiseshell was walking towards him, but she was unlike any he had seen before. She peered at him with green eyes that rivaled the grass in their brilliance and luster, and her fur sparkled as though it contained scattered stars.

Lionpaw took her in, awed by her beauty. She peered at him, looking strangely surprised by his arrival. _I can't believe it,_ Lionpaw thought. _A real StarClan warrior!_

They watched each other a while. Finally, after what felt like seasons had passed, the tortoiseshell spoke.

"This isn't right. What are you doing here?"

Lionpaw blinked. _Don't you know?_ "I—I'm a medicine cat apprentice," he meowed, feeling as though he were _wrong_ to have to explain something to an ancestor. Lamely, he added, "It's… uh, it's the half-moon."

The tortoiseshell narrowed her eyes, and Lionpaw began to fear he'd offended her. If StarClan could send lightning and fire to a Gathering, what could they do to an insolent apprentice? She took a step forward. "I _know_ the cycle of the moon, Lionpaw," she retorted. "But I want to know what _you,_ warrior, are doing here."

Lionpaw shook his head. "No, I'm not—"

The tortoiseshell lashed her tail. "You are destined to be a warrior!" she declared. "You run from your purpose out of fear. Begone!"

Lionpaw shrank back, startled by the ferocity in her voice. _What? No! Don't reject me!_ But uncertainty gnawed at him—Leafpool said it was possible that StarClan would test him. Could this spirit be measuring his courage to face her? He stood up straight. _This is what I'm meant to do!_ "I want to be a medicine cat!" he meowed. "I'm sure!"

The tortoiseshell shook her head. "No, no… this is all wrong. _You_ are meant to a warrior… young cats and their foolishness." She flicked her tail. "It was not your time to meet me. Not yet! You were on the right path. Return to it!"

Lionpaw felt assured that this was a test after all. She hadn't mentioned his wildness in battle—if she had, perhaps Lionpaw _would_ have turned away and woken up. _She must not really think I'm unworthy if she isn't calling me evil!_ "No," he replied, his voice even. "This is what I want."

"You don't get to choose your destiny," the tortoiseshell insisted. "StarClan has laid out the path for you. All you need to do is walk it!" She looked frustrated, but after a few heartbeats, she sighed. "Your resolve is strong, I'll give you that." She lifted her nose. "But you will fail. You are not meant to be a healer, and if you must learn that on your own… so be it!"

Without another word, she turned and raced off into the woods.

Lionpaw blinked. "Wait!" he called. "Don't go!" He took off after her. As he ran into the forest, a powerful wind blew in his face, as though pushing him back. It nearly blew him off his paws, but he gritted his teeth and ran on. _No!_ he thought. _I won't fail!_ He pushed on, ferns whipping at his face as he crashed through them.

A voice called out. "Hey! You there!"

Lionpaw skidded to a halt, and the wind instantly died down. "Huh?" He looked around. As soon as he stopped, the grass and ferns immediately ahead of him seemed to grow taller and twine together, as though trying to block him out.

"Over here!"

Lionpaw glanced to his left. A path was laid out perfectly, as though made just for him, straight through shorter grasses. There was the sound of running water again. He twitched his whiskers curiously and padded towards the path.

The path led him towards a small brook. He saw a silver-furred cat sitting beside it, waiting for him. The cat lifted their tail high and curled it towards themselves.

 _Who is that?_ he wondered. _Are they trying to help me find that cat?_ He picked up the pace. "Hello," he called. "I was trying to follow the cat that ran by here. Did you see where she went?"

"Spottedleaf?" the cat meowed. "Sure, but there's no use following her. She's gone by now. Come here, Lionpaw. I'd like to meet you."

 _She knows my name too,_ Lionpaw thought. He supposed it shouldn't surprise him—he was in StarClan, after all. He hurried ahead until he had reached the brook. "I really want to find her," he insisted, as he drew closer. "I think I'm going to fail if I don't."

"Fail?" The molly blinked. She purred in amusement, her plumy tail curling in delight. "Oh, no, you're not failing anything!"

Lionpaw frowned. He looked over the silver molly curiously. Her fur had the same look of scattered starlight to it—even her dark tabby stripes seemed to glitter. "But that cat said I can't be a medicine cat. I thought maybe she was testing me." His heart sank. _Is all of StarClan against me?_

The molly flicked an ear. "Don't worry, little one," she meowed. "Not even StarClan is in agreement all the time." She smiled again and winked. "If you've chosen to be a medicine cat, you just have to find out for yourself if it's what's meant to be."

Lionpaw sighed in relief. _Thank StarClan!_ He glanced back up at the molly. "Who are you? And who was that other cat—Spottedleaf?"

"My name is Feathertail," the StarClan warrior replied. "I was a RiverClan warrior… but I believe you know my father, Graystripe, and my brother, Stormfur."

Lionpaw's eyes widened. _The_ Feathertail? He had heard stories of the RiverClan cat that had traveled with Squirrelflight, Brambleclaw, and Stormfur on the journey to find the lake. _She's a legend!_ "I… um, it's an honor to meet you," he stammered.

Feathertail purred again. "It's good to meet you too, Lionpaw. I've watched over you and your kin since I passed." She twitched her whiskers. "As for your second question… Spottedleaf was a ThunderClan medicine cat many seasons ago, long before Leafpool was even born. She is well respected among StarClan for her ability to interpret prophecies and the future…" her voice trailed off for a heartbeat, and she frowned. "Though she's been quite stressed lately. I take it that's why she snapped at you."

 _What does a StarClan cat have to be stressed about?_ Lionpaw wondered. "What's wrong with her?" he asked.

"It's nothing that concerns you yet," Feathertail meowed. "There's more important things to share with you. Spottedleaf was meant to deliver this to the new medicine cat apprentice… though I think she may have had another in mind when we told her there would be a new apprentice." She shrugged. "Come closer, Lionpaw."

 _Something to deliver to me?_ Lionpaw felt a rush of both excitement and nervousness, and he took a step forward. "Okay."

Feathertail leaned towards him, and for a moment, she paused, her dark blue eyes meeting Lionpaw's. Something sparked in her gaze, and she smiled softly. "Funny…" she murmured. "You've got his ears."

 _What?_ Lionpaw blinked. But before he could ask what she meant, Feathertail pressed her muzzle to Lionpaw's forehead, and an icy chill swept through him again. His eyes snapped shut as he stumbled backwards, shocked by the sudden wave of piercing cold.

Lionpaw opened his eyes. He was standing, but everything around him was pitch black. He looked around desperately. "Feathertail?!" he called.

 _Snap!_

A burst of flame rose from the ground, and Lionpaw yowled in surprise. The fire rose high, tall as a tree, and spread out wide. It surrounded Lionpaw, leaving space as wide as ThunderClan's camp free of the blaze.

The fire illuminated the clear area, and Lionpaw stiffened as he recognized his Clanmates sitting on the blackness, each looking directly up and ahead, with blank, soulless eyes.

Lionpaw followed their gazes. Directly ahead, where the blaze first began, stood a massive boulder. Firestar was standing atop it. Flames swirled around him, tangling through his pelt and around his paws, but it did not singe his brilliant coat. He stared ahead, his eyes green and pupil-less like the rest of ThunderClan.

Each ThunderClan cat slowly turned their heads towards Lionpaw, and fear pulsed through him. Then they each opened their mouths and began to speak in unison.

" _There will be three, kin of his kin, who hold the power of stars in their paws."_

The words boomed in Lionpaw's ears, louder than anything he had heard before, and he swayed on his paws.

His Clanmates stood and fully turned towards him.

" _THERE WILL BE THREE_ ," they yowled. Flame began to rose from the darkness beneath their paws. " _KIN OF HIS KIN, WHO HOLD THE POWER OF STARS IN THEIR PAWS!"_

Firestar turned his blank green gaze towards Lionpaw, and the young tom found that he could not move or speak as their eyes met.

Firestar's jaws began to move, but the words that followed did not come from him alone—they seemed to come from everywhere, rising from the darkness under Lionpaw's paws and spit from the flames.

" _The three have come,"_ a voice declared. " _And the fate of the stars rests in their paws."_

Fire suddenly burst up from where Lionpaw was standing, engulfing him completely. He shrieked in terror as it wrapped around him, devouring him completely.

Lionpaw's eyes flew open, and he was laying beside the Moonpool. His ears were still ringing from the yowling in his vision, and he fearfully lifted his fore paws as he sat up, half-expecting to see they had been burned to the bone.

For a brief moment, Lionpaw swore he could have seen starlight glittering across his paw pads, just as he had seen in Spottedleaf and Feathertail's pelts.

Lionpaw's eyes widened, and he took in a shaky breath. _Power of stars in their paws…_ His heart pounded in his chest, the significance of the dream not lost upon him. He felt himself tremble. _In_ my _paws?_ Lionpaw looked over a paw again, but he saw only pink pads, and set the paw down. For a moment, he thought that arrogance had gotten the best of him. _I can't… It can't be about me._

No other explanation made sense. _I am kin of Firestar's kin,_ Lionpaw thought. _His grandson._ _What happens to me when I fight… I've never been hurt. I can't control myself… but I don't think I've ever felt a scratch._ He flattened his ears. _I thought I was cursed, but… is it supposed to be a_ gift? _The power of the stars?_

As Lionpaw pondered his dream, the other medicine cats were beginning to stir and yawn. Lionpaw looked down into the Moonpool. _But they said there were three. I can't be the only one like this… if it is about me at all._ He swallowed, feeling as though the weight of the world had just been dropped upon his shoulders.

 _If I'm one of the three… who in StarClan's name are the other two?_

* * *

 **END OF BOOK ONE**


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